How to Help a Loved One Who Struggles with Addiction

Watching a loved one go through the challenges created by addiction can be particularly challenging. Powerful emotions and feelings can often only make the situation worse despite the best intentions. Approaching someone who is struggling with addiction in a positive, productive way can be surprisingly hard because of how delicate the topic can be.

The best way to approach the challenge of helping a person you care about who may be struggling with addiction is to form an effective plan and follow specific rules. Instead of spontaneously engaging a person in a conversation that could easily spiral out of control, developing a plan can lead to a more effective, positive outcome.

For residents of the Dallas-Fort Worth, TX area who may have a loved one that is struggling with addiction, here are some helpful ways to provide support in a lasting, positive way.

Work to Identify the Problem

With each passing year, more and more cases of addiction are being reported throughout the country. Unfortunately, the many signs of addiction are still overlooked far more frequently than they are noticed. While it may not always be easy to be fully tuned in to the signs and clinical symptoms of addiction, some specific warning signs can be easier to see and recognize.

These indicators include:

• Sudden or irregular changes in behavior– If a person who has always been very consistent and dependable starts to suddenly be late regularly, misses work, or goes missing completely for periods, then it should be taken as a cause for concern.
• Rapid mood swings– If a person you care about appears energetic one day before being lethargic the next day and then returning to energetic, this could be a cause for concern. Other associated signs could include increase irritability and argumentative tendencies.
• Unexpected financial difficulties– If you notice that a person’s bills are past due, or that certain belongings have gone missing around the home, then it could be a sign of addiction concerns. For many people, addiction is a struggle that they strive to keep secret while engaging in actions they would not have normally been a part of. 

Decide to Intervene

Getting help for a person you love is not always an easy process. Even when their struggle with addiction becomes plainly obvious to everyone around them, there can still be resistance to any idea of treatment or change. Many individuals may attempt to dismiss the severity of their addiction as a way of clinging to the idea that they are still in control of their behavior.

Some important things to consider when approaching someone about the idea of seeking treatment include:

• Act with Urgency– The longer you wait, the harder any kind of intervention can be. Instead, make a concerted effort to make sure everything is prepared before taking action. Locating a treatment center with immediate availability, arranging for bills to be taken care of, and other duties to be handled by family and friends can make it difficult for a person to refuse.
• Don’t approach the problem alone– Approaching a person struggling with addiction can be difficult, especially without the right training and experience. Instead, consider involving friends, and enlist the support of a professional who can guide the intervention in a positive, productive direction.

Continue to Stay Involved

Many family members feel uncertain when it comes to helping a person facing an addiction problem. This feeling of confusion and helplessness can lead to a widening divide between the person needing support, and those who want to help as the challenge of what to do becomes harder and harder to confront.

What many people don’t realize though, is that the simple act of being present, and staying available can go a long way towards healing this feeling of separation. By being willing to listen, and keeping yourself free of distractions while engaging with the person struggling with addiction, you can show yourself to be a worthwhile source of support and interaction. For a person facing the challenges of addiction, having someone willing to listen and engage can be a powerful tool on their journey towards recovery.

Find a Therapist to Connect With

In addition to providing personal support in a variety of ways, one of the best ways to help a person coping with addiction can be to provide access to counseling. As a trained professional, Christie Jones has spent years working with children and adults on their path towards overcoming addiction.

If someone you love is struggling with addiction-related concerns, then you shouldn’t hesitate to provide them the support they need to move towards recovery. Instead, reach out to Christie Jones as soon as possible to get the support and advice you need to help them connect with a trained professional that can help them start a path towards recovery