By now, you’ve probably heard the term “enabling” tossed around quite a bit in discussions involving addiction and recovery. This is normal because enabling behavior often closely resembles that of authentic support. Those who enable aren’t necessarily trying to sabotage their loved ones, but it’s often necessary for them to fine-tune their self-awareness to avoid acting as enablers while believing they’re just offering support and in some cases, protection.
How to Help someone you know with addiction
If a friend or family member is struggling with addiction issues, you’re probably feeling a mixture of compassion, frustration, fear, and helplessness. You may be spending much of your time wondering how to help a drug addict experience success in their journey with recovery. It’s natural for those in your position to feel a variety of conflicting emotions, and you’re undoubtedly aware of the strain that addiction places on relationships of any kind. If that person has recently made a commitment to recovery, you’re probably also wondering how you can be supportive in ways that have the best chance of helping your loved one’s recovery be successful.
Knowing how to help someone get off drugs isn’t always straightforward or simple. Personal relationships can be complicated. As a result, it’s sometimes difficult to bring up addiction and recovery in a way that your loved one will feel is coming from the best possible place. However, there are ways to help someone struggling with addiction. The most important is to find an addiction treatment center that can give them back the life they deserve.
Although there aren’t any one-size-fits-all answers to providing a person in recovery with support, there are a few best practices and more than a few pitfalls experienced by those in your situation. Here’s what you need to know about providing genuine support as your loved one gets started in their journey toward a sober life.
