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How do you get help for someone struggling with addiction? It can be extremely difficult to admit that addiction has come to rule your life or the life of someone you care about. Even if you are not the one directly suffering from addiction, the problem itself will still affect you. It can even start to ruin your life, no matter your relation to the individual. Addiction makes people selfish and changes the way they would typically react to others. It can make them forget about their responsibilities to themselves and you, causing rifts to form between people who care about each other deeply. Sometimes, it can even tear families apart. Helping someone through recovery is much more manageable with the assistance of an outpatient drug rehab center.
At Westwind Recovery®, we know how challenging helping someone in recovery can be. Our outpatient treatment includes family therapy, so you and your loved ones can receive guidance and support throughout the recovery process. Call us today at 855.340.8832 to learn more about our family programs in Los Angeles, California.
Helping Someone Through Recovery Starts with Recognizing the Problem
Recognizing that addiction is affecting your relationships with your loved ones is the first step toward making a change, but it is also just one effort in a long line of difficult actions. Whether addiction has affected your child, your parent, your spouse, your friend, or even you, you will have different ways of looking at the situation and different requirements and opportunities for creating real change.
Tips for Helping Someone in Recovery
Everyone wants what is best for their family and friends, and seeing your loved ones struggle with addiction can be heartbreaking. Many people wait until they are at the end of their rope before they start seeking help for their loved ones, but things can get better if you encourage them to take steps toward recovery with professional addiction treatment. Here are some tips for helping someone in recovery:
- Have a conversation with your loved one. Wait until they are sober, as it will not be effective if they are not. Talk to them about your concerns, but speak with love and support rather than with blame.
- If a simple conversation is not effective, it might be time to try an intervention, which is a more formal way of telling someone you want them to get professional help for addiction. It can be beneficial to gather some of your loved one’s closest friends and relatives so that you will have other people to back up your claims. Have everyone write down what they want to say ahead of time. It can also help to hire a professional interventionist.
- The only way an intervention works is if you set boundaries. Think about what you will say, and remember that it cannot be a hollow threat. It needs to be a solid consequence that you will be able to enforce if your loved one does not agree to seek help.
- Once your loved one is in treatment, it is often highly effective for their overall recovery if you stay involved. Family therapy is an integral part of rehab, and you and your loved one will be able to work through some of your problems while in a safe space together.
Always remember that your loved one’s addiction is not your fault any more than it is theirs. Instead, it is important to seek effective treatment in a safe environment where they can learn to cope with and eventually manage the effects of their addiction. It can also be helpful to your own recovery and ability to reconcile with your loved one if you seek therapy or another kind of treatment for yourself.
What to Say when Helping Someone Through Recovery
When you are preparing to talk to your loved one about their addiction, you may stumble over your words because you do not want to say anything to make them get defensive or shut down. Here are some tips for preparing to speak to a loved one about getting professional help:
- Use “I” statements, such as “I feel…” or “I am worried….” This seems less accusatory to your loved one and will be less likely to escalate their feelings of being antagonized.
- Tell your loved one that you support them and will continue to do so if they seek treatment. However, you will not support their habit, which is where setting boundaries comes in.
- Remind your loved one that they will not need to go through recovery alone. Tell them you will go to family counseling with them and help them work through their recovery every step of the way.
- Avoid getting angry and raising your voice. Whatever you do, stay calm to keep the discussion from escalating.
- Reach out to professional interventionists and therapists. You should not have to go through this process alone.
Before talking to your loved one, it can be beneficial to reach out to a professional rehab center first, so you have someplace already set up for your friend, family member, or spouse to go. Call 855.340.8832 to speak with a treatment advisor for Westwind Recovery® now and learn more about our facility.
Following these tips will help give you an idea of how to speak with someone you care about to encourage them to get treatment. Keep in mind that there are professionals to guide you through the process as well.
Find Help for Recovery at Westwind Recovery® in Los Angeles, California
If you or a loved one is struggling with addiction, Westwind Recovery® is here to help. Our array of behavioral and holistic therapies can support you and your family through addiction and toward a healthy, happy recovery. Call us today at 855.340.8832 to begin healing together.
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Dr. Deena is the Chief Clinical Officer of Westwind Recovery®, an award-winning outpatient treatment center in Los Angeles where she oversees the clinical and administrative program and treatment methods. Dr. Deena is a doctor of psychology and licensed clinical social worker since 1993. LCSW #20628. Originally from the East Coast, Dr. Deena has worked running treatment centers, worked as a therapist in psychiatric hospitals as well as school settings and currently has a thriving private practice in the LA area. Dr. Deena has appeared regularly on the Dr. Phil Show as an expert since 2003. She has also been featured on many other TV shows, podcasts and has contributed to written publications as well as podcasts.
