How Can Friends Help Families Who Have An Addicted Family Member
It can be difficult to know how to help a loved one who is struggling with addiction. Addiction is a complex disease that affects both the individual and their friends and family members. In this article, you will learn about some ways that friends and family members can support someone who is trying to overcome addiction.
Educate Yourself
Addiction doesn’t just affect one person, it’s a disease that has an impact on the surroundings, and especially on the family. That’s why you have to educate yourself about the addiction. Always find ways to learn more about addiction and how to cope with it. This can be done by reading articles, talking to professionals, or attending support groups.
Having knowledge is power and it will help you to understand what your loved one is going through. It will also equip you with the tools necessary to support them in their recovery journey.
Help the family members persuade the person to go to recovery. The family members are the ones who have to live with the addict and see them suffer. They’re also the ones who know that addiction is taking a toll on their loved ones. This can be difficult, but they need to persuade the person to go into treatment.
Participate In An Intervention
Help your friends to stage an intervention for their addicted loved ones. This will require planning and organizing, but it can be very effective in getting the person into treatment. The key is to have a solid plan that everyone participating agrees to ahead of time.
You’ll want to make sure you have resources like an addiction specialist or therapist lined up to help guide the intervention and keep things on track. Remember, your goal is to get your friend into treatment, not push them away. Be respectful and compassionate, but also firm in your resolve to get help for your loved one.
If you’re not sure where to start or need some guidance, there are plenty of online resources available that can walk you through the process step-by-step.
Help Them Out With Chores
There will be a lot of chores to do in order to keep up with the addiction. If you can, help out the family by doing some of these chores for them. This will take some of the burdens off their shoulders and allow them to focus on helping their loved ones get better.
Some specific things you can do to help include:
- Doing the grocery shopping
- Taking care of the yard work
- Doing laundry
- Preparing meals
- Cleaning the house
- Running errands
Depending on what is needed, there may be other tasks that you can do as well. Just ask! The family will likely appreciate any help they can get. Remember, your support means a lot during this difficult time.
Financial Support
Getting someone clean and back on track is an expensive process, and it can be difficult for families to shoulder the burden on their own. Friends can help by providing financial support to cover the costs of treatment. This could include paying for rehab, covering living expenses while the addict is in treatment, or helping with other bills that have piled up as a result of addiction.
Friends can also offer emotional support during this difficult time. They can listen when family members need to talk, provide a shoulder to cry on, and offer words of encouragement. Addiction is a challenging disease to overcome, but with the help of friends and loved ones, it is possible to get back on track.
Babysitting
You can keep an eye on the family member while also providing a break for the parents. This can be especially helpful if the addicted family member is living at home. If they are not living at home, offer to babysit their children on an occasional basis. This will help relieve some of the stress that the parents are feeling.
You can also provide transportation for the family members who need to go to therapy or doctor appointments. Offer to take them yourself or help connect them with a ride service that is affordable.
Be Patient
This process is hard, and staying patient is crucial. It’s normal to feel like you want to scream or throw a tantrum, but it’s important to remember that your loved one is fighting a battle every day. They need your support now more than ever.
Take some time for yourself and do things that make you happy. Spend time with friends and family who make you feel good. When you are feeling better, reach out to your loved one again. Let them know that you are there for them, no matter what.
It may take some time, but being patient will pay off in the end.
Addiction is a nasty business, so make sure to learn as much as you can about it and help your friends stage an intervention. Make sure to run certain chores and support them financially if you can. Watch over their family member when needed and it’s essential that you stay patient with them at all times. This will help them deal with this burden a lot easier!
