Seeing someone that you know and care about risk his or her life and livelihood to drug or alcohol addiction is hard. However, you are not alone in wanting to get that person the help they need. If you want to know the basics of how to help an addict, start by educating yourself on substance use disorders.
The signs of addiction can start out small and easy to miss. In fact, you may not suspect a problem until the person has progressed into more serious use. Some common signs that you may have a loved one who abuses drugs or alcohol include the following:
These are not the only signs of a drug or alcohol addiction. But they are some of the most common. If you suspect that a friend or a family member has an addiction, let that person know about your concerns. Sometimes, the person will admit that he or she needs help. However, many people feel resistant to entering rehab.
If your loved one wants to recover, you can support him or her throughout the process of signing up and entering rehab. But, many times, an addict will refuse to go willingly into a treatment facility. If your loved one resists, you can do some things to help. Here are some basic ways for how to help an addict who resists.
First, don't try to stage an intervention and force the person into rehab. These rarely work because the addict resists treatment. Instead, convince the person to seek care from a primary care doctor who can bring up rehab. In many cases, people listen more to a doctor than to a friend or family member.
Secondly, be persistent in helping to get the person to a doctor. Once your loved one mentions a desire to recover, do everything possible to push forward the process. There may be times when your loved one changes his or her mind for a few days. Remind him or her about their request for treatment. Also, keep them hopeful by telling them about a life free of drugs or alcohol.
Thirdly, learn about the treatment options available. When you and your loved one know more about what to expect from a treatment facility, getting help will be less frightening.
At San Antonio Recovery Center, we provide a range of treatment options for people with drug and alcohol addictions. These include the following:
Your loved one may never willingly come to you seeking help. You can stop drugs or alcohol from ruining their life, though, by helping them get into recovery. The best tip for how to help an addict is to call our treatment facility for more information. Contact us by phone at 866.957.7885 to get in touch with us at San Antonio Recovery Center. Together, we can help you to get your loved one into rehab and get on the way toward overcoming addiction.
contact us now!
