Introduction
Recovery from addiction is a long and difficult journey. You may be supportive of your loved one throughout the entire process, but you also need to take care of yourself during this time. If your loved one is in recovery and needs help, there are some things we can do as family members or friends to support him or her. In this article, Dr Louis Hampers, will explore five ways that you can encourage positive change in someone’s life while they are recovering from addiction:
The most important thing you can do is offer your loved one unconditional support.
The most important thing you can do is offer your loved one unconditional support. This means that you will not judge them, or tell them how they should feel or act, but rather be patient while they work through their own process of learning and growing.
You don’t have to have all the answers; just being there for your loved one can be enough in itself. If you’re worried about what might happen when your friend or family member gets out of treatment and into recovery, let them know that it’s okay for them not to have everything figured out yet either!
Find out what your loved one needs so that he or she can get the help they need to recover.
The first step to supporting your loved one is to find out what they need. Ask them what they would like from you, or write down a list of things that would help them in recovery. This can be anything from taking on some household chores to providing transportation to treatment appointments and therapy sessions.
Stay positive and supportive.
- Stay positive and supportive.
It’s important that you don’t judge your loved one for their past behavior, but rather accept them for who they are. If you feel the need to offer advice or tell them what to do, consider why this might be so important to you and whether it’s really necessary in this situation. In most cases, it isn’t–and even if it were helpful in some way, it likely wouldn’t be received well by someone who is just beginning their recovery journey and may not yet recognize all of his/her own strengths and abilities as well as those around him/her can see them at first glance (or even second glance).
Recovery from addiction is possible, so it’s important to encourage your loved one every step of the way
As a family member, you are your loved one’s greatest support system. It’s important to stay positive and supportive during their recovery process by reminding them that they can do this–that there is hope for them; that they will survive; that they are not alone in their struggle.
If your loved one has been struggling with addiction for some time, then you may have already seen them make some progress in terms of healthy changes in their life (e.g., quitting drugs or alcohol). This can be incredibly encouraging! However, it’s also important not to place too much pressure on yourself or your loved one regarding what needs to happen next in order for them to be successful at recovery–remembering that everyone moves at different paces when working towards long-term goals like sobriety or healthier habits overall.”
Conclusion
If you’re a family member or friend of someone struggling with addiction, it can be difficult to know what to do. But by showing your loved one unconditional support and helping him or her find the right treatment options, you can make a big difference in their recovery.
