Steps to be a support system for an Addict in recovery

One of the challenging moments that people go through is when their loved one is struggling with addiction. An individual’s addiction can negatively affect the lives of people around them, especially their family and friends.

Sometimes, they might not be on good terms because of the addiction problem, which might make it difficult for the addict to have a less difficult recovery. If you have an addicted loved one, this post will educate you on how to be there for them as a solid support system.

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Be patient with them

When it comes to addiction, patience is a virtue. It is important to mention that the addiction recovery process cannot be rushed so that the individual would not commit to unhealthy habits that can affect their progress. Therefore, give them enough time to get better, and don’t mount pressure on them or compare them to other people.

Don’t judge them

People make the mistake of judging or criticizing people for their actions when they get addicted. When you keep judging them, you are making it impossible for them to follow through with addiction recovery.

Some of them might get discouraged and leave addiction recovery. You can take out time to learn more about how addiction develops so that you can be more empathetic to their plight.

Attend therapy sessions with them

When the recovering addict has to attend some therapy sessions, you can show up to support them. If they see a familiar face present with them, they will be happy and grateful that you care about them.

During therapy sessions, you will learn more about your loved one, and how you can help them get better.

Give them words of encouragement

One of the biggest help that you can give to an addict is positive affirmations. Let them know that there is no problem in this world that they cannot defeat.

Be their biggest fan; their greatest cheerleader. Don’t remind them of their mistakes, but keep reassuring them to be more focused on achieving sobriety.

Why are addicts in conflict with their loved ones

Addiction is a powerful and obsessive health disorder that can cause rifts between addicts and their loved ones. If care isn’t taken, the rift can cause much damage in their relationships that could remain a permanent scar.

One of the reasons why addicts are regularly in conflict with their loved ones is due to lack of understanding. Many loved ones fail to understand that getting addicted is not entirely the patient’s fault.

When addiction is in play, it can be hard to control because the individual is focused on pleasing their brain’s reward system by fueling their addiction. From the addict’s view, they feel their loved ones don’t understand them.

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Since addiction comes with a certain type of stigma, many addicts prefer to keep to themselves so that they don’t get judged for their healthy habits.

This is one of the reasons why addicts feel demotivated to visit an addiction treatment center because they have the impression that they will get treated the same way.

Hence, many of them prefer to wallow in their addiction hoping to break free soon.

If they get admitted to a rehab by any chance, the counselor and therapist in charge have to work towards mending the rift between the addict and their family.

The presence of loved ones in addiction treatment is often unrecognized and underrated. An addict needs a solid support system to fight off addiction. And having their loved ones around them provides this luxury.

During recovery, an addict’s loved ones provide encouragement, love, care and the fortitude to keep pushing till they are certified to be addiction-free.

After addiction treatment, the role of loved ones isn’t completed yet. They have a primary responsibility to ensure that the addict implements healthy habits that would not trigger their addiction.

Provided an addict maintains a cordial relationship with their loved ones, it would be easy for them to seek help and finally break free from addiction.

4 ways you can help an addict

Addicts need help to defeat addiction because it isn’t something they can achieve all by themselves. The main problem that comes with this is, they always fail to acknowledge that they are addicted because of the stigma that comes with it.

If you’ve been finding it difficult to help an addict because they don’t want to be helped, here are some strategies you can use.

  • Approach them lovingly

One of the major mistakes that people make when interacting with addicts, is to approach them from a prejudiced standpoint. They end up blaming the addict that they are responsible for their addiction.

Many of them fail to realize that addiction is a powerful condition that can creep in on anyone who is not careful enough.

When they get addicted, they should not be blamed because it discourages them from seeking treatment. Rather, they should be shown love so that they can be motivated to seek help.

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  • Recommend reputable treatment centers

Addicts need to be in the care of top-notch professionals so that their sobriety can be certain. You can do your due diligence to ensure that you research trusted addiction treatment experts that can provide the needed solutions.

  • Support them during addiction treatment

When an addict enters for addiction treatment, you don’t have to abandon them at this point because this is where they need you more than ever.

They need you to form part of their support system that they can always rely on while they fight off addiction. Therefore, give them all the support they can get while they continue to receive treatment.

  • Collaborate with the counselor/therapists

While you continue to be there for the addict, make sure that you’re in constant communication with the counselor and therapist.

A time will come when you will need to enforce the addicts to keep up some healthy practices that would stabilize their sobriety. If you don’t collaborate with the counselor, you might not know how to go about it.   

Helping an addict not to commit suicide

When someone takes their life, it is termed as suicide. And there are various reasons why people would take their life. One of the reasons why people commit suicide is because of their addiction. Now, addiction is a notable mental health problem which makes some addicts susceptible to suicide.  

People who commit suicide do not do it because they want to die. The main aim of committing suicide is because they want to end whatever pain or distress they are going through. And this is one of the misdeeds of addiction combined with mental health problems.

When addiction is in play, it modifies the brain, it changes the way the individual think, and this is why mental health problems set in. Someone who is mentally sound would think of resolving problems by meeting people who can help.

While someone who is addicted would prefer to die because they feel there is no hope for them.

People who are susceptible to suicide need to be helped because it is no fault of theirs. Once you have spotted some of the warning signs, it is crucial to draw them closer and provide help for them.

The first step of providing help for an addict is to recommend that they seek treatment for addiction.

When an addict enters for addiction treatment, the first thing they would learn is about their addiction. Furthermore, for their addiction to progress, they would have to accept that they have an addiction problem.

Once addicts can accept their addiction problem, it becomes easy for the addiction counselor to conduct a thorough evaluation on the addict and use it to create a treatment plan.

The counselor also assists by helping the addicts with their mental health problem. Bearing in mind that some of them must have considered suicide in the past. The counselor gives them hope that they can have their better lives and win their life’s challenges.

The moment an addict enters for addiction treatment, the prospects of committing suicide is greatly reduced.

The concept of suicide and the risk factors

Suicide is defined as the process of taking one’s life by self-induced actions or help from an external party. The concept of suicide is a personal decision, and there are plethora of reasons why an individual would want to take his or her life.

Before a person resorts to suicide, there are some warning signs that the person displays which portends that the individual is about to take his or her life. Hence, it is important to always look out for your loved ones if they’re displaying any of these signs.

Risk factors are also known as warning signs and some of them are listed below.

  • Talking about hopelessness: When an individual is always talking about how hopeless or dejected they are, there is a tendency that they might commit suicide. For people like this, it is vital not to leave them all by themselves.
  • Talking about no reason to live: People who are susceptible to committing suicide always talk about how unpleasant life is, and how they are tired of it. It would not be surprising if people like this commit suicide because they have been giving warning signs all along.
  • Engaging in excessive substance abuse: If you find someone who excessively consumes alcohol and drugs, there is a big chance that they are contemplating suicide. One reason why suicide prospects abuse alcohol and drugs is because, they want to forget all what they are going through.

They see these substances as a means of escape. Hence, they commit fully to it.

  • Anger/ Seeking revenge: Although, it depends on the temperament of the individual, people who often seek revenge are likely to commit suicide. In their quest to take revenge on people who have hurt them, they end up doing this that drives them to committing suicide.
  • Extreme anxiety: Someone who is extremely agitated or anxious is clearly afraid of something or suffering from a mental health problem. And there is a likely chance that the individual would commit suicide to escape from what they are afraid of.  

WHY DO ADDICTS COMMIT SUICIDE

Suicide is the intentional act of taking one’s life based on individual doings. Suicide due to addiction are among the major problems which are induced by alcohol and drugs.

When someone is addicted to either drugs or alcohol, there are some side effects and dire consequences which comes with it. In all countries, drugs and alcohol are major contributors to violence.

Addiction to alcohol and drugs does not just end with the adverse effects which it has on a country, it also majorly influences suicide.

Suicide happens dramatically, unexpected, and most times we wonder why the individual resorted to ending his or her life.

There is no known single cause of addiction, rather there are factors which result in addiction.

One of the major causes of suicide being committed by addicts, is mental health problems.

Now, in the first place, the presence of mental health problems could be the reason why they started abusing substances and became addicted eventually.

When they started at first, they probably felt those substances would help them get over their problems. However, it became impossible in the long run.

When the individual comes to realize that those mental health problems still linger on, and he or she is still an addict. The next possible line of action is to take their lives.

This would seem like the best solution for them. In addition, another cause could be history of violence in the family.

Not everyone comes from a peaceful home, and not every member of the family has the mental capacity to deal with the problems which arise as a result of violence in the home.

Therefore, the person could become addicted in the process, and suicide would most likely occur in the long run if the person does not seek treatment.

Addicts need to be given hope that they can get better irrespective of how severe their addiction is. It is a known fact that as addicts, thoughts of committing suicide would cross their minds at every point.

However, with the help of a therapist or a counselor, he or she would be able to pull through and conquer this phase.