Addiction doesn?t just affect the individual struggling with substance abuse; it profoundly impacts everyone around him as well. Family members have to cope with the abuse on many levels, in addition to worrying about whether their loved one will be able to maintain recovery long after initial detox and treatment is over. If you are dealing with substance abuse involving someone you love, West Coast Recovery Centers has tips for living with a loved one in recovery.
Get Educated
Addiction is an often misunderstood disease. Those who are diagnosed with this disorder may face judgement, anger and resentment from people closest to them. They may live in fear of how their addiction will affect their professional and personal lives. Learning the facts about addiction is the first step in understanding the disorder and the personal challenges your loved one faces. Education also teaches you the best ways to support and encourage your family member without compromising your own health and wellbeing to do so.
Encourage Sobriety
When you have a recovering addict living in your home, the entire family must embrace lifestyle changes that encourage sobriety. One important step is to create a safe environment for the person in recovery, by eliminating all substances and paraphernalia used for intoxication if at all possible. Having those items remain in the home can be too much temptation for an individual working through the recovery process.
Give Support
Recovery is no easy road and the person walking it will need plenty of support if they are to achieve successful sobriety. Support means restraint from adopting a ?holier than thou? attitude towards the person in recovery. It also means creating an environment with as little stress as possible, where the person in recovery can truly thrive. Support does not mean ?rescuing? the addict, but providing encouragement as he deals with the consequences of his actions.
Get Support
Giving support to a person that has likely turned your life upside down is not comfortable or natural. You may be dealing with your own issues involving the substance abuse and you may not feel ready to embrace this person back into your home or trust the recovery process. These feelings are very normal and often require professional help to work through. Fortunately, there are many support resources available for family members to take advantage of as you walk through the recovery process together.
West Coast Recovery Centers understands addiction recovery is a family affair. In addition to offering treatment programs for those struggling with addiction, we also provide help and support for family members. To learn more about our program, contact West Coast Recovery Centers at 442-333-6199.