Help an adult family member or friend with a drug or alcohol problem?

Support and help

Watching a family member or friend struggle with drug or alcohol addiction can be painful and distressing. The good news is that you can support them more than you can possibly think. Ultimately you can’t force anyone to seek treatment, but you can make it easier for a family member or friend to reach that decision on their own and get the help they need.

Chances are the person wants to stop but doesn’t know how. They continue using to avoid the onset of withdrawal symptoms. Here, are some helpful guidelines you can use to help an addicted family member or friend.

Speak Up and Offer Your Support 

When you feel ready talk to your family member or friend, do in a calm non-confrontational manner. Don’t approach them when they are under the influence of alcohol or drugs. It will be easier to talk to them about their problems when they are sober. Tell them about your concerns, and offer your help and support, including your willingness to go with them to get help.

Express concern and be honest

Don’t wait for your loved one to “hit bottom. Let them know why their behavior concerns you and why you believe they have been drinking too much or using drugs. If possible, give them specific times where their actions have concerned. Talk to your loved one about how that makes you feel and why you think it’s important for them to get help. Keep the conversation calm and talk to your them in a caring tone, and they will be more likely to listen to you.

Don’t Expect the Person to Stop Without Help 

No doubt, you have heard it before. Promises to cut down, to stop, but it doesn’t work. Treatment, support, and coping skills are needed to overcome addiction to alcohol and drugs.

If you’re at least able to get your loved one to admit that they have a problem, then you’ve already done a lot for them. Once your loved one is aware that they need help, they are more likely to look into treatment for addiction or turn to you to help them. Keep in mind that your loved one will also still need your encouragement and support throughout the recovery process, so making sure those lines of communication stay open is important.

To read more about staging an Intervention, you can read our blog  Intervention – what can i do?

Get Help at Tabor Group

If you have a loved one suffering from an addiction to Alcohol, Drugs, Gambling or Food get help today. Don’t hesitate to contact one of our counsellors at +353 (21) 488 7110 or Email Us we are here to help.