People talk a lot about how we can help a friend or family member get over an addiction. It's all about admitting the problem, getting help, and taking care of yourself, isn’t that correct?
But the real work starts when they get back to real life, and things are supposed to be back to normal.
This is when your loved one needs your help the most.
Here's a simple list of things you can do to help a friend or family member get over an addiction, whether it's to drugs or alcohol. Keep in mind, though, that these are just guidelines for how you can offer to help. If the person doesn't want to quit, there's not always much you can do.
Help Them Find A Substitute
We all know how an addiction works: the reward center in our brains is tuned to respond to the trigger of that addiction, and not much else will make us feel as warm and loved as that addiction. Going cold turkey and expecting to not want that drug is going to take a lot of work. If they can't find a replacement, the world may look pretty bad.
They might not get the same rush from it, but there are always ways to make up for the feeling of relief they used to get from whatever they are hooked on.
Exercise is something that has helped a lot of people get over their addictions, for example.
Don't expect your friend to go to the gym on their own, though. They will need that extra push to get started. Plus, it might just be too much for them; addictions can cause problems with both mental and physical health. Instead, take them for walks, get them outside, and make exercise their main way to get endorphins.
Tell Them You Want To Help
Asking for help can be hard, so make it clear as soon as possible that you're there to help. Sometimes they'll come right out and ask, which is great, but you can't count on that, even if they really need it.
Talk to them about how you can help them get better. Maybe they just want to hang out with you to forget about their problems, or maybe they want to meet some of your other friends to get away from a bad group of people, or maybe they just need someone to talk to about attending a clinic like Delphi Health Group.
Make it clear that you are the person they can turn to for anything they need to recover and stay clean. This goes for both emergencies and everyday needs.
Help Them Find Themselves
It's easy to see how this could take over the lives of people who have been addicted and are now getting better. It's almost like their addiction has become a part of who they are, which shouldn't be the case at all. Help your friend or family member get back to who they used to be.
It could mean getting interested in their old hobbies or skills again so they can feel good about things they used to enjoy. When spending time with people, getting better, and enjoying hobbies are the best parts of their lives instead of an addiction, you know they're on the right path.
This could take some time, though, and you shouldn't give up on someone just because they aren't getting better as quickly as you had hoped.
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