No matter what a family is facing, addiction is going to take a toll on everyone. Regardless of what drug, for how long, or who are using the drugs, the person who is cared for and loved is struggling. Facing this fact with the idea they may lose their life due to drugs can be stressful and painful. Finding a strategy that works to help families face addiction is key. This will help clear a pathway to recovery and restore their life to its fullest potential.
Prevention
Thinking about prevention in the midst of addiction may seem antithetical, but it is important to realize the goal of prevention. When addiction sets in, other people are still at risk, including minors living at home, other family members, and people they influence with their use. When thinking about prevention, it is not just about assisting the loved one with addiction, but also helping them face the idea that others may be impacted and need support. Just a few key pieces of prevention advice can help families face addiction:
- Sit down together as a family, eat meals, and converse about what is going on in their lives. Know what they are interested in doing, who they are seeing, and what their life is like to know if there are any red flags present
- Engage in social-emotional learning and life skills training with them to help them learn how to navigate difficult conversations around drug use
Acknowledge the Challenges
If a loved one is using drugs or suspected of using drugs, it is best to observe, notice, write down changes, and start to navigate what it might be like to seek help for them. Share these with a trusted loved one and begin to formulate a plan of action that will help them. They may be struggling with more than people in the family realize and are hoping someone will help, even if that is not what they say outright.
Find Proper Care
Seeking treatment for a loved one is never easy. The best way to pursue good care is to look for a place that offers comprehensive treatment of the whole person and is individualized. A combination of therapies is often best to work with therapies and focus on the person’s recovery. Each form of treatment enhances the other and the more a person can work on group, individual, and mental health therapy, the better off they will be in the long journey of recovery. Seek spaces for a continuum of care to provide for their needs after rehab and a place that offers life skills training so they can be successful after treatment ends.
The most important factor of all for families with loved ones who have an addiction is to never give up hope. Do not give up believing the loved one can grow and begin the journey of healing from addiction. They are on a journey, as is the family, and it should be done together in the community. The more support a person has, the better their chances of being successful.
The Guest House is based on a Therapeutic Communty model. We help people learn how to live free of addiction. Our community support provides structure while trained counselors offer life skills training and therapeutic techniques to help you move past addiction. Our program provides special focus for professionals including chiropractors, nurses, doctors, lawyers, and more who need help with addiction recovery. Call us to find out more: 855-483-7800.