It is often difficult to watch a close friend, spouse, or family member struggle with an addiction. You watch every day as your loved one hurts themselves and everyone around them. They jeopardize jobs, welfare of children, and financial security for their addiction. The loved one may feel anger, helplessness, or confusion, as the addict continues to behave in unnatural and destructive ways. The addict probably does notice the hurt of loved ones and they do feel bad, but they cannot stop the addiction. Whatever they are addicted to, has them in chains.
Loved ones will try most anything to get the addict into treatment including pleading, arguing, or even threatening them. Many loved ones will enter treatment themselves as they do not know how to manage the addict and get them to treatment. The loved ones might blame themselves or want to take the pain away through enabling behavior.
There are many questions loved ones have regarding addiction and they want answers. Loved ones are convinced the addict does not want to change; however, this may not always be the case. The addict simply might not have the resources or confidence to want to change. Simply, the addict does not know what else to do or how to change.
Often, the addict does not include loved ones when wanting to change and mostly because of shame. They might feel embarrassed by what they have done and how they have hurt and they think they need to seek treatment on their own. On occasion the addict can seek treatment on their own but often they cannot.
Friends, family members, or spouses do have several options available. They can discuss treatment options with the addict and let the addict decide which treatment might best suit them. They can empathize with the addict to let them know that they understand what they might be going through. They can lessen some of the shame and guilt by openly expressing how they feel. They can express how much they are loved despite their addiction. Loved ones can provide emotional support that is very important to the addict when beginning treatment, during treatment, and every day after. It can be quite reassuring to let the addict know that they do not have to go through this alone.
The loved one of an addict should seek treatment themselves to deal with any feelings associated with the addiction or the addict. At Hired Power, we can help the loved ones and the individual with an addiction get on a path to recovery. Call us today (800) 910-9299.
