Three Ways to Support A Family Member Dealing With Addiction

Drug addiction is not only a personal battle.  Oftentimes it is an all-out war that involves friends and family, causing devastating financial and emotional strife for many. What can you do about drug addiction in the family?  Here are three ways to support a family member dealing with addiction.

 

Educate Yourself on Substance Abuse

One of the most important things you can do to find firm footing in this situation is to educate yourself about addiction.  Trying to approach the matter in a calm, responsible manner will be impossible if you don’t know enough about it.  You will merely find yourself caught off guard and end up frustrated, disappointed, angry and heartbroken. Get the facts online and in books.  Read others’ experiences with drug addiction.  Listen to experts’ accounts of typical behavior, which may vary depending on the substance one is addicted to.  Learn how to predict your loved one’s behavior and how to best approach the situation. One caveat: when reading about substance abuse online, be sure to get your information from trusted sources.  There is a lot of information on the Internet, but not everything you read is an accurate account.  It is best to get more than one source and to compare it to what you have observed yourself and what you know to be true. Treatment organizations such as Al-Anon and Narconon offer information and support for dealing with the addict and can help you quickly understand the realities of addiction and recovery.  Such programs can be very helpful in your own recovery from the emotional effects of a relationship with an active addict.

 

Seek Professional Help for Addiction

While your intentions may be good, it is not advisable to try grappling with your loved one’s addiction yourself.  There are a number of detox clinics and rehabilitation centers that have a team of experienced professionals there to help your loved one through his addiction.  Detoxification is only one step toward recovery; your loved one will also need to address his reasons for addiction and prepare to face life without drugs.  This is not as easy as it sounds. If you do not want to enroll your loved one in a clinic, look for a local support group to provide consistent help, often on a daily basis.  These groups usually offer anonymous support and a network of individuals who have conquered their addictions and promote drug-free living. Regardless of which route you choose, it is essential that you encourage your loved one to seek help.  Do not ignore his or her drug abuse.  No matter how difficult, draw attention to the addiction and the strain it is putting on the family or relationship.  Out of love and care, urge your loved one to visit a clinic or support group and break free from the shackles of addiction.

 

Persist, but Set Boundaries

It is important that you draw the line between support and enabling.  While you must do all that you can to get your loved one to seek help, ultimately it is he or she who must make this decision.  Offer your emotional support, but do not give money or allow him to continue to buy drugs or alcohol. One way to do this is to improve your communication skills so that you know how to talk to your loved one without a lot of drama.  Focus on conversations that make progress toward seeking help.  Avoid blame, regret, threats and shouting matches. It is important that you know your limits and do not allow unacceptable behavior.  Do not be afraid to cut ties or separate yourself temporarily if necessary.  Actions to warrant this may include violent or abusive behavior, behavior that endangers the home or other loved ones (such as using drugs near children or conducting drug deals at home), or threatening the family’s economic stability.  You are only going to make matters worse if you allow such behavior to continue.

Five Questions Children Ask About Drugs

Teen drug abuse has become so widespread that those who have not experimented with drugs are the minority.  How do you, as a parent, protect your child from addiction and ensure he or she makes it through high school unscathed?  Truth be told, open communication on the subject is more important than you think.  National surveys show that children whose parents talk to them about drugs and alcohol are far less likely to experiment with them. Exactly how do you talk to your child about drugs?  Do you “play it cool” and share your own experiences with substance abuse?  Do you  feed them a bunch of statistics and side effects?  Perhaps it would be better to take a middle ground on the subject. When discussing drugs with your child, it is important that you let your child know what the short and long-term dangers are.  Help him take an objective view of the subject and look at how it would affect his life, his goals, his relationships and his personal health.  Make sure he knows that you frown on drug abuse among any of your loved ones, but that you are there for him if he runs into trouble.  The most important thing you can do is make yourself a safe, comfortable source of information on the subject so that you can steer him in the right direction.  The last thing you want is for him to seek information from his peers and other drug users. When parents broach the subject of drug and alcohol abuse with their children, they are commonly inundated with questions.  Here are five common questions that children ask about drugs and ways you can answer them.

 

Is Alcohol Really a Drug, and Is It a Big Deal?

Yes, alcohol is a drug.  While it may seem like a benign and common part of the teenage years, it is the most commonly abused substance among teens, according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health.  Not only that, alcohol is a gateway drug, often leading the way to heavier drug use.  In fact, most heavy drug users such as heroin and meth addicts admit that alcohol was their first experience with drugs. Many teens believe that alcohol is not a big deal because their parents and other respected adults drink it.  So even though underage drinking is illegal, do not assume that your child will not encounter it in high school.  Be sure to explain to your child what responsible drinking means, and set a good example with your own drinking habits.  And if you don’t believe this see more on the effects of alcohol.

 

What’s the Deal With Prescription Drugs?

While most illicit drug use is declining among teens, prescription drug abuse has skyrocketed over the last decade.  Teens do not typically see this as a problem, as these drugs are being prescribed by doctors.  However, it is important that your child understands the dangers involved in prescription drug abuse.  Medical drugs are just as dangerous as illicit drugs if they are not taken as directed.  They are also extremely addictive.

 

Is It True That Someone Might Slip Drugs in My Drink at a Party?

Yes.  Drugs like ketamine, rohypnol and GHB are tasteless and odorless and can be slipped into an unattended drink at any time.  Perpetrators of date rape use these drugs to sedate their victims and make them forget what happens to them.  It is important to keep your drink with you at all times until you are finished with it.

How Many Teens Are Addicted to Drugs?

According to a 2011 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, more than two million American teens between the ages of twelve and seventeen were addicted to drugs or alcohol.  That is eight percent of the youth population in the United States.  Of these, only 181,000 teens received treatment at a specialty facility.

What Do I Do If My Friends Are Taking Drugs?

The first thing to do is set an example and be outspoken about the fact that you are drug-free.  Whether they admit it or not, they will respect you for it.  The next thing to do is to get them the help they need.  Let them know that you care about them and that you want them to be healthy, and talk to your parents or a responsible adult about an intervention.