An addict is not the only person that suffers due to the addiction, as their family members and their friends have to undergo the ordeal of seeing their loved ones suffering from addiction and bear the consequences of an addict’s irresponsible actions. One needs to be especially careful while dealing with an addict. There are certain things one can do or one should avoid while dealing with an addict.
The scale of the problem
Addiction or substance-abuse is becoming a major problem in today’s world. In America, nearly 24 million people over the age of 12years are suffering from addiction of one type or another. This huge figure means that almost everyone has a family member or a close friend suffering from addiction. A study shows that about 64% people have known or know someone close, who is addicted. The above figures provide the scale of the problem and clearly show that the problem of addiction is not only common but the number of people that suffer from addiction or the people who suffer from addiction.
The things to avoid while dealing with an addict
The things to avoid while dealing with an addict, who is a family member of someone close to you, are as follows
- Asking them to quit – Asking an addict to quit if they love you or nagging them about harmful effects of addiction will neither help you nor an addict. All it does is making the addict ignore you and shut you out.
- Feeling disgrace or shame due to your loved ones addiction – remember that the problem of addiction is quite common.
- Getting emotionally or financially or physically victimized – If you are facing such a situation, ask for help whether it’s legal or from law enforcement or counseling or family.
- Choosing a short term rehabilitation program – It takes time to overcome an addiction and choosing a 30 day program and expecting it to work will be anticlimactic.
- Expecting an addict to go to a rehab when you ask – An addicted person doesn’t go for rehabilitation on first It may need professional intervention or the intervention of all the family and friends to get them to a rehabilitation center.
- Getting an addict to rehabilitation center is end of your responsibility – The addicted person needs continuous support of their friends and family during, before and after the rehabilitation program.
Things to do while dealing with an addicted person
- Learning about addiction by attending support meeting, reading books and consulting the professionals. This helps in understanding the problem that you are facing and the ways to handle it.
- Analyze your role in promoting the addiction of the addict. It may be by providing them financial assistance or shielding them from the consequences of their actions.
- Look for a rehabilitation program for the addicted person. It’s the only way to counter and overcome the problem. If you are the one making the choice, research about different programs and their effectiveness.
- Provide the motivation and mental support to the addicted person. Let them know you are there for him during their fight to overcome the addiction.
When the person close to you, is an addict, the intervention to send them to a drug rehab facility should be done delicately and with utmost love and care. You need to accept and make the addict understand that the addict needs to go here to overcome the addiction.