Unsuccessful conversations, feelings of anxiety and guilt, attempts at total control are a terrible reality for the relatives of a drug addict. They are faced with the question of how to help a drug addict cope with addiction and find freedom?
We understand that the fight against drug addiction is a difficult task for every family facing the drug problem, and we are ready to tell you how to act and what to do to recover the addict.
Why Does The Addict Use?
The first thing to do is to identify the cause of drug addiction and try to eliminate it. Only 6-7% of drug addicts suffer from addiction due to physiological reasons (violation of the dosage of a certain drug, incorrect treatment regimen, etc.).
The remaining 93-94% of drug addicts began to use for psychological reasons, including:
Family problems.
The spoiledness of children, family tyranny, lack of love, assault – all this leads to the fact that family members seek solace in drugs.
Curiosity.
Every third person who tries drugs for the first time is convinced that nothing terrible will happen if he uses them once to get new sensations.
Striving for success.
Unfortunately, many creative and educated people are convinced that drugs will allow them to find inspiration, expand the scope of consciousness and make new discoveries.
Indirect influence.
The desire to be like their idols, the negative influence of peers, watching movies and listening to music that promotes drugs.
Dissatisfaction with yourself and your status.
Internal conflicts, fear of the future, boredom, inability to take responsibility for their own actions, compliance with persuasion – a person finds a way out in drugs.
Is It Possible To Get Rid Of Drug Addiction?
It is possible to save a person from drug addiction with quality treatment with the help of specialists. Addiction affects not only the psychological and social aspects of a person’s life but also physical health. Therefore, the fight against drug addiction is a complex process that removes psychophysical dependence and is aimed at helping from the consequences of drug use.
Some patients and their relatives do not want to make their addiction public, so they prefer drug addiction treatment at home. Home recovery is not recommended by doctors because prescription medications are required for effective treatment. Without a doctor’s prescription, the patient will not be able to buy medicines and his fight against drug addiction will be based on low-quality methods.
The motivation for treatment is an important part of recovery. A motivated patient is less likely to relapse, and the desire to get out of drug addiction will be higher. The voluntary consent of the addict is considered legal, therefore it is easier to persuade a motivated patient to fight the addiction.
Rules to help the person you care for
The first thing to remember: the fight against drug addiction at home will bring absolutely no result. You can convince a relative to seek professional help, but for this, you need to adhere to the following rules:
Accept the fact of addiction.
Drug addiction is not a sentence. This is a disease that requires immediate, and most importantly, professional treatment. Accept that your husband, son, or daughter is drug-addicted, and it is absolutely not your fault.
Once you find out that a loved one is a drug addict, do not arrange interrogations, scandals and tantrums. Buy drug testing kits and try to learn as much as possible about addiction by using the Internet or by consulting a specialist.
Don’t try to blame yourself.
Never blame yourself for what happened. It is easier to make yourself guilty, but this will not help a loved one. Finding a reason and blaming yourself is a waste of not only energy but also time. You need to act, not dwell on what caused it. Blaming oneself for the drug addiction of a loved one in most cases leads to the development of codependency. And then you will have to solve two problems, which is much more difficult and longer.
Refuse financial support
A drug addict always needs money, and to get it he is ready to do anything. No matter how absurd it may sound, many relatives give money to a drug addict, because it is unbearable to watch his torment during withdrawal.
Remember the simplest and, perhaps, one of the most important rules – you can not give money to an addict. He will try to get them in different ways: he will offer to go to the store and buy groceries or pay utility bills.
Do not believe drug addicts, having received the money, they will spend it only on one thing – on the next dose of the drug. Many addicts agree to addiction treatment only because they could not get a dose and suffer from withdrawal symptoms.
Talk to the addict.
Moral support is the best way you can help a loved one. Choose a convenient time to talk, when no one else will be at home. Your task is to lead the conversation to the fact that you need to seek professional drug treatment.
Here are some tips to make your conversation as effective as possible:
Threats, screams and tantrums will never help you. The only thing they are really capable of is to alienate the addict from you even more;
Never promise anything in return. Neither cars, nor apartments, nor other material things will help to cope with the problem;
Try to understand what is the cause of addiction. The most common: lack of attention, a load of problems, low self-esteem, etc.
It is necessary to lead the conversation to the fact that in any situation you will help a loved one to cope with the problem. He should feel your love, understanding and support. Trust me, they are your most effective remedies against drug addiction.
Conclusion
It is important that the person is supported by family and friends. Avoid quarrels and scandals. Try not to be reminded of the past. Yes, a person made mistakes and did, perhaps, unforgivable things, but it is not the past that is important, but the future. And the future depends on what is happening in the present.