For a family member it can be absolutely heart breaking to watch your loved one destroy themselves with drugs or alcohol.  Why do they do it? Why do they keep repeating the same mistakes and behaviours, when all it is causing them and others is pain and suffering? Drug Addiction and Alcoholism is baffling to those who suffer from it and those who do not.  Your loved one may have everything to live for, yet they have a total disregard for their own well-being and their family’s feelings. Many parents and spouses will look for reasons to blame themselves, as they can see no sense in the self-destructive cycle of alcohol and drug addiction. This kind of thinking can make for a lot of misery and is unhelpful to both parties. Seeking help for family members is the better choice than turning to the bad habits.

The fact of the matter is that your loved one probably has little or no idea why they feel compelled to carry on drinking or using drugs.  They may have frequently promised or sworn they will never drink or take drugs again, yet within a short space of time they are drunk or high.

For some addicts and Alcoholics the damage can be so great that there is nothing in the world that would justify them to pick up a drink or a drug….yet they do. Despite warnings from employers, loved ones, Doctors and Psychologists, they are unable stop or moderate. It’s not surprising that family and friends often feel at a complete loss as to how to help them.

Your Loved One Is Very Sick

The most important thing to remember about a family member who is acting insanely when it comes to alcohol or drugs, is that they are very unwell and need professional help.  It is no one’s fault they have an addiction, it is a condition that requires specialist treatment.  There can be a number of reasons why someone uses alcohol or drugs to their detriment. The reasons may not become apparent until they have managed to stop:

They may be seeking escape (from reality, their past or from themselves)

They may enjoy drinking and taking drugs – the effect for them may be so great that it becomes the most important thing in their lives

They may be self-medicating – they use alcohol and drugs to numb thoughts and feelings that they struggle to sit with, or they may be suffering from a mental health issue

They have a physical dependency – They have built a tolerance and so have to take the alcohol or drug in order to stave off withdrawal symptoms

They cannot envisage a life without alcohol or drugs – Drinking and

They have suffered a Trauma in their past – Post Traumatic Stress and flash backs can be very distressing and debilitating, some turn to alcohol or drugs to suppress the symptoms

Whatever the reason behind your loved ones drinking and drug taking, they will need to deal with it if they are to stay sober and clean.  In the majority of cases, a detox is simply not enough, rehabilitation is required and some kind of psychological therapy such as Counselling or Psychology.  Unless they change the way they deal with problems and issues, there is little hope for their future.

Acceptance

You may notice that your family member or loved one blames others for their drinking and drug taking. Individuals with addiction find it incredibly difficult to see and accept where they are responsible.  The same goes for those who are trying to support them. It is helpful to understand and accept that you cannot fix or change your loved one; they have to want this for themselves and be willing to accept professional support and help.  Until they arrive at such a place, there is very little you or anyone else can do for them.  Try to accept that they are ill and encourage them to access the correct treatment, we are here to help and guide in doing this.

Addiction Helper offers tailor made treatment plans to specifically deal with your loved ones needs.  We offer a long-term solution, not a quick fix.  With the understanding that therapy is of great use in the rehabilitation process, we are able to offer a vast selection of treatment programs and will assist you in finding the one that is likely to be the most successful in helping your loved one to recover. We can provide one to one counselling, inpatient and home detoxes, full rehabilitation programs and aftercare.  Our aim to assist you in finding help for family members or a loved one to break free from the compulsion to use drink and drugs and learn new and healthier ways of dealing with life and with themselves.  With our help, your loved one can break the compulsion and live a happy and productive life once more, free from drug and alcohol dependency.