What’s The Best Way To Deal with a “Loved One” Living with Unhealthy Addictions? Helping A “Loved One” From Addictions: A blog that gives tips and suggestions on helping someone who has an addiction.
The ‘Addiction’ topic is somewhat like the elephant in the room that nobody wants to talk about, but everyone knows it is there. But why are we so afraid to talk about it?
I have worked with many people who have addictions of all kinds, from alcohol and drugs to smoking, sex, gambling and over-eating. There is one common theme with all addictions – the person living with the addiction does not believe they have a problem. That may come as a surprise, but it is true for all addictions.
People living with addictions – whether it is their own or someone else’s – may feel ashamed, guilty or afraid to talk about the problem. The fear could be that talking about it may make the situation worse or cause more harm than good. Often people around them don’t know what to say or do in case they say something wrong and make things worse. So they tend to keep quiet and hope that the problem will go
Honeycode: A blog that gives tips and suggestions on helping someone who has an addiction.
Have you ever been scared to watch a loved one struggle with an addiction? Has the addiction taken over your loved ones life and you can’t do anything about it even if you wanted to? We are here to help.
Everyone has been in a situation like this before, whether it is a family member, friend or work colleague. Temptation for some people is hard to resist and it is not always down to the person of having a weak mind, there are many other factors which can cause addictions such as social pressure, depression or stress.
What is addiction? Addiction can be when a person has become dependent on something either physically or mentally such as alcohol, drugs or smoking. This means the person will feel they need the substance in order to function normally.
Can all addictions be cured? Although many addictions can be treated successfully there are others which cannot be cured such as alcoholism. However, some people have managed to overcome their addictions by following support groups and attending rehab clinics.
What can I do? If your loved one has an addiction and you want to help them then we recommend that you talk to them about their problem in private and away
As much as you want to help your “loved one” through their addiction, it is important to know that the best thing you can do is take care of yourself. We understand how hard it is to watch someone go through the effects of an unhealthy addiction and that you want to help them get better. But if you do not take care of yourself, you will not be able to give your “loved one” the best support. It isn’t selfish, it is essential.
Practice Self-Care:
Make sure you are taking time for yourself and taking care of your own needs. You cannot be there for someone else if you are not there for yourself. In order to have the strength to help your “loved one”, you need to make sure you are giving yourself the attention and support you need.
Here are some things we suggest:
Take walks or spends time in nature
Meditate
Listen to music
Read
Practice yoga or go swimming
Journal
Talk with friends or family members who may be supportive of your situation
I was asked this question by a reader who is struggling with her boyfriend’s addiction problems:
“My boyfriend has been addicted to drugs for as long as I have known him. I love him dearly, but am at a loss for how to help him. He knows that he needs help and has tried several times to get clean. He will go to meetings and get support, but eventually falls back into his old habits. It seems like he just doesn’t have the strength or will power to stay clean. How can I help him?”
This is obviously an extremely difficult situation. Many people are faced with the challenge of dealing with a “loved one” who is addicted to drugs or alcohol, and it’s important to understand that there are no easy or straightforward answers in these situations. Every case is different, and so is every addict. The best thing you can do is educate yourself about addiction and learn how you can be there for your boyfriend when he needs you the most.
This is a difficult topic for me to write about because I have first hand experience with this. My mother, who was in her early 50s at the time, became addicted to crack cocaine after the death of my father. This happened around 20 years ago and I had to learn very quickly what the best way to deal with her issues were.
First and foremost, you can’t make anyone stop using drugs or alcohol. They have to want to stop for themselves. The process is similar to how you would help a friend with an addiction issue, but it’s even more complex when it’s a family member or loved one because of the emotional attachment. You may feel angry, resentful and hurt by their actions and words while they are under the influence of drugs/alcohol.
The following are tips on how you can take care of yourself while dealing with their addiction:
Try not to take things personally when they are under the influence of drugs/alcohol. Remember that it’s not really them speaking, but the drugs/alcohol that they are using.
Set boundaries (but be prepared for them to push your boundaries). When my mom was living with me and she was high she would do things like steal my car and money from
This is a very difficult situation to be in.
There are different types of addictions. Some people have addictions to alcohol or other drugs. Others have addictions to gambling, sex, or food. You may be able to help your loved one if you understand what’s behind the addiction.
Addiction isn’t simply a matter of choice, it’s also a disease that can cause many problems for the person who is addicted and for the people who care about them. The word “addiction” is often used loosely to describe anything from compulsive chewing gum chewing to drug abuse. In fact, the word has a specific meaning: “Addiction” refers to compulsive drug seeking and use that continue even when significant negative consequences are likely and foreseeable (for example, loss of employment, health problems).
If you think someone you love has an addiction problem, there are some things you can do:
1. Learn about addiction and what you can do about it.
2. Take care of yourself. Caring for someone with an addiction problem will affect your entire family and friends. Spend time with your family members and friends who support you and will listen to your feelings and concerns without judging you or telling you what to do.