Recovery from drug addiction is not an easy thing to do. Friends and family members who are going through the process need all the help they can get.
If you’re lending a helping hand to a loved one who’s trying to beat addiction for good, then you’re on the right track.
However, it would be best to be a bit careful when you commit to aiding in someone’s addiction recovery.Far too many people have already committed mistakes that have led to severely hurt feelings or worse, addiction relapses.
Few things are more painful than seeing a loved one who’s supposed to be in recovery use illicit substances again. They could end up doing something reckless like driving while under the influence of drugs and eventually face drug DUI penalties or worse. Even scarier is their risk of overdosing, which can put their lives in jeopardy.
If you want the best results for someone in addiction recovery, you need to avoid making the following mistakes when extending help.
4 Big Mistakes to Avoid When Helping Someone Recover From Drug Addiction
1. Failing To Learn More About Addiction
If you want to give maximum support to a recovering addict, you need to learn what you can about drug addiction itself.
With a better understanding of drug addiction and its causes, symptoms, consequences, and treatment options, you will find yourself better equipped to provide the support your recovering loved one needs.
2. Saying The Wrong Things
A person in addiction recovery can be a little more sensitive about their plight than usual, and that’s why you have to watch what you say to them. It is one of the many mistakes people make, but it happens.
Regardless of your closeness, it would help a lot if you do your best to be tactful around a person in recovery.
Refrain from cracking jokes about the situation. Being patronizing wouldn’t help either. If you can avoid talking about your loved one’s condition to other people who have no business knowing about it, that would be great, too.
3. Forgetting That Addiction Recovery Is a Lifelong Process
Some people might think that the recovery process is over once rehab is done. While completing treatment is a milestone in addiction recovery, it’s hardly the end of the process
Whatever support we have given our loved one during rehab, we must continue providing it after that stint. After all, relapse is still possible even after treatment.
We can continue supporting their recovery by helping them build relationships with people who don’t use drugs and keeping them from hanging out with friends from the past who still do. We can also help them get jobs or just about anything that will help them get their life back on track after treatment.
Addiction recovery is a lifelong process, and it’s important to be consistent in our support through all that.
When it comes to couples rehab, if you want to help someone you know is struggling with addiction, just google couples rehab near me, and you’ll be able to guide them to a nearby insitution.
4. Not Taking Care Of Yourself
Sometimes, people who commit to helping a friend or relative recover from drug addiction forget that they need to take care of themselves, too.
It’s not unheard of for someone to dedicate themselves to a loved one’s addiction recovery and forget about taking care of themselves physically, mentally, and emotionally.
The drug addiction recovery process can get stressful for both the recovering addict and the people helping them, and that’s why you must never forget to attend to your own needs.
As you help your loved one recover, always eat a balanced diet, exercise regularly, and go out with friends, among other things. By taking care of your well-being, you’d be in a much better position to help out a friend or family member recovering from drug addiction.
The mistakes mentioned above are just some of the things you need to steer clear of to help a recovering addict. By avoiding them, you can help make the addiction recovery process go more smoothly for everyone involved.
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Michelle White
Michelle is currently the Content Marketing Strategist for Arizona DUI Team. Aside from spreading awareness on DUI and vehicular-related offenses, she enjoys reading and hiking with her family and friends.
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