In a previous article, we talked about some of the first steps you can take to help a family member who is suffering from a drug addiction. The steps can also be used to help loved ones with most types of addiction. Of course, those are only the first steps. The actual process of breaking the addiction cycle requires more efforts.
If you are dealing with an addict in your life and you want to provide that person with the best care possible, there are a number of important things to understand. Here are the do’s and don’ts of helping an addict in your life that you need to know.
Do: Take Care of Yourself
A lot of people assisting a loved one with addiction problems often forget to take care of themselves. After a while, they became tired and can no longer maintain the focus and level of energy needed. The situation is noted as one of the most common causes of relapse in cases of addiction, especially drug addiction.
Never forget to take good care of yourself when you are helping a family member with an addiction problem. Take breaks, entertain yourself every now and then, and make sure you live a balanced life. It will be challenging at first, but you can keep work, family, and personal time in order the further you go into the process.
Don’t: Seek Instant Results
No one can break their addiction cycle overnight. Even in the mildest cases of addiction, addicts can take a minimum of two to three months to completely eliminate the cravings and break the cycle. It is unfair to ask your loved one to quit overnight, especially without proper treatments and the right help.
The sooner you accept this, the sooner you can work on a viable, effective solution. Discuss the situation with your loved one and get him or her involved in the decision-making process.
Do: Seek Personalized Treatment
There are a lot of treatments available for people with drug addiction problems. It is worth noting that not all of them will help your loved one. The best treatments are those tailored to the specific needs of the addict. Personalized treatments take into account various factors faced by your loved one, so the treatments can be made highly effective.
Drug treatment programs tailored to the specific needs of your loved one are also more effective in breaking the addiction cycle. The programs deal with so much more than the addiction. It tackles psychological problems, environmental challenges, and will even prepare you as the support system for your loved one.
Don’t: Give Up
Let me be the first to tell you that helping a loved one deal with an addiction problem is hard. It is even harder when it involves drugs simply because the substances are more powerful and will affect the brain much more severely.
Don’t give up. There is a solution to every problem. It is often just a matter of finding the right one based on the specific needs of your loved one and the situation he or she is in.
