Most people at least have someone who has a problem with addiction issues as a friend or a friend of a friend. Not everyone has had to deal with addiction of a direct family member. However, for families where there’s a member that is struggling with addiction in its many forms, there are ways that you can help get them out of their hole.
Four particular things that can be looked at include researching the psychology behind addiction, sending the addicted member to rehab, getting them away from influences, and in extreme cases potentially even holding an intervention.
Research the Psychology
When you research the psychology of addiction, you may find some surprising evidence. The brain of an addict can actually be different than the brain of a normal person. There are synapses that are wired differently, and psychologists and doctors are trying to figure out if this is something that is genetic, environmental, or some combination of many different things. The point is, the more you understand the underlying mental aspects of addiction, the better you can relate to your family member who is struggling.
Send Them To Rehab
Another option to help a family member who is struggling with addiction is to send them to rehab. Rehab facilities have the best chance of figuring out what the core problem of the person is when it comes to addiction. Not only that, they have tons of data, a great support structure, all sorts of activities that people can do to keep their minds off recovery, and all of the best equipment and medication when it comes to addiction help as well. Rehab can be expensive, but there are also ways to get insurance to pay for it in low-income situations.
Get Them Away From Influences
Ultimately, a lot of addiction may be caused by the influences that people are around. These could be old friends, or it could be a workplace issue, or it might just be a habit of geography. If you know what the insolence is are, can work with your family member to slowly chip away at them. This can be one of the most financially feasible ways to help a family member with addiction, because it focuses more on energy rather than money.
Hold an Intervention
One of the most extreme ways to help a family member with addiction is to hold an intervention. This is a time when everyone speaks their mind freely and gives the addict an ultimatum. Either they will fix themselves, or the family will essentially turn their backs on them. Interventions can be extremely uncomfortable and painful experiences, but for people that believe that tough love is the final answer to getting through to an addict, sometimes this is the most effective means of really getting a message across.
Originally posted on July 19, 2017 @ 2:54 pm
