Addiction Help and Advice for the Families

Quite often family and friends are burdened and negatively affected by the actions or behaviours of those struggling with an addiction. Living with someone in active addiction can be burdensome and draining emotionally, physically and also financially. I would like to offer some addiction help to all of you who may be affected. These are based on my own experiences and from lessons I have learned from others.

Remember 3 things to start with

1. You didn’t cause the addiction. In life sometimes “shit happens”.
2. You can’t control the addict/alcoholic or their addiction.
3. You can’t stop drinking or using for someone else.

Addiction help for the addict/alcoholic:

• Educate yourself on addiction through videos or literature.
• Don’t judge, this is a difficult time for all and judging doesn’t bring solutions.
• Don’t enable, provide support but don’t make it easy for an addict/alcoholic to continue their destructive behaviour.
• Set boundaries and stick to them, don’t be manipulated.
• Don’t buffer them from the consequences of their actions, they need to except responsibility for their behaviour.
• Be careful supporting in the form of cash, usually the money is not used for what it was intended (enabling).
• Be supportive emotionally and acknowledge the potential you see and know your loved one has.

Addiction help for yourself:

• Remember to keep yourself healthy first, you can’t help someone if you aren’t physically, emotionally and mentally fit.
• Don’t blame yourself, you can’t control others behaviours, you can only control your own.
• Ask for help and support, families need as much support as the addict/alcoholic. Whether you seek professional help, or just the support of groups such as Alanon or Alateen.
• Don’t waste energy arguing, be consistent with your boundaries and the support that you can and will provide.

For addiction help or advice today call 1-829-932-0123