How to Support a Loved One Struggling with Addiction

It’s normal to drink occasionally, it may not affect your mental or physical health, but when the drinking takes control of your mind and starts destructively governing your thoughts and actions it is then a matter of concern. You may lose the power of judgment and sensitivity and forget to give minimum respect to your family members, and life partner, and lose the sense of responsibility towards your children under the influence of alcohol, it becomes necessary to abstain from it. But quitting alcohol is not easy when you are addicted to it.  Judging or nagging the addict may not lead to the road to recovery. He or she would require consistent emotional support, care, empathy, and treatment.

Given are a few tips that you can adopt while dealing with a loved one’s recovery problem:

1. Keeping in mind that addiction is a mental illness

Regular drinking damages the brain cells and that weakens the ability of the drinker to think positively and efficiently. You may find your loved one stooping down the decency level or morality ladder after drinking 1 or 2 pegs. It is becoming frustrating to watch your loved one lose his or her senses and forget to maintain minimum decorum or etiquette during a conversation with you or other family members and society. But rude behavior or rough handling from your end can further distance him from you. He or she may resort to drinking hidingly. Instead, you should bring the addict in an interactive mood and make him or her feel comfortable with your counseling process.

2. Prioritizing yourself above everything else

Addiction to alcohol or substance abuse disorder is a lifelong condition that not only disrupts the mental and physical health of the addict but also may affect you and the rest of the family members. You and other family members may be getting frustrated, losing patience and gaining depression and anxiety while trying your best to help you’re loved to recover from such mental illness. Such a condition is bound to happen because addiction is not only life-threatening for the addict but also sets a toxic environment in the surroundings.

Therefore, taking appropriate care of physical, emotional and mental conditions is necessary. It is then you will become well-equipped and capable to take care of the addict.

3. Acknowledge that there is much to learn about drug use disorders.

It is normal to get upset, feel scared or suffer from depression and get anxiety attacks while handling the addict who may come up with severe symptoms of addiction. Seeking knowledge about the addiction and its consequences will help you to become a better counselor or support person for the addict. Disturbing, taunting or scolding may hold the addict back from quitting alcohol or any addictive substance.

You can get in touch with any expert and learn more about substance abuse disorder, breakthroughs and recovery techniques which can enable the addicts to give up alcoholism and become achievers in every aspect of life. 

4. Be cautious in the ways of serving your loved one who is under the influence of addiction

In the process of supporting the addict who may be your closest friend, life partner or any family member, you must be careful about choosing the words during conversation. Advising to quit for your interest may not go well for him. Presenting your thoughts in an egoistic way may not work for him or her. Rather, you must express your concerns for his or her health. You must share how precious and valued a person is he or in your life and share about how life will be rewarding after quitting alcohol.

5. Recognize that you can assist someone in recovery without promoting addiction

Regular drinking does not let the brain function normally and drinkers suffer from stress and depression. Undergoing such pressures, the addict may get tempted to commit any serious crime and fall into legal trouble.

Fearing such destructive consequences, family members often panic and make efforts to safeguard the lives of their loved ones who are abusing substances. On the contrary, they would be driving the addicts towards addiction in an unintended manner. A person abusing substances requires both emotional and monetary support. You must assure your loved one about how you will be assisting him or her in the process of recovery. 

6. Counseling your loved one about learning from mistake

As a supporter, you must have enough patience and perseverance to take care of the substance-abusing person. You must make him realize how he or she has destroyed himself or herself as a person and his or her career under consistent drinking or craving. Instead of lecturing him or her, you must set him or her free to find how well enough he or she can deny the tempting offers of drinking. You must allow your loved one to open up regarding the challenges he or she is facing as an addict. 

7. Helping him realize the importance of Ayurvedic medicine for addiction

According to Ayurveda, addiction is realized as an outcome of Vata elevation. You must explain how can Ayurveda heal the patient naturally and balance his body, spirit and mind. You can offer a few drops of Addiction Killer Liquid in his or her food or water to the patient. Sometimes, the patient might be too hesitant to go for any medication.  You can take advantage by adding this 100% Ayurvedic medicine for Addiction without informing the patient. You must also encourage him or her to practice yoga and meditation which can help in balancing doshas and revitalizing the mind and body of the addict.

8.  Offering a lifelong support

Yet, unsurity may lie on the road to recovery. You may have to experience highs and lows during the process of recovery. Gaining stability may be a distant dream for your loved one and you as a supporter. But consistent efforts and positive thinking can turn dreams into reality. That’s one day, you must be experiencing a satisfying and fulfilling life with your loved one.

Conclusion

Addiction not only destroys the addict’s life, it happens to be destructive for the rest of the family members. It is indeed a tragedy if any of your family members or friends are under the influence of substance abuse disorder. To assist actively in the process of recovery, you must understand the difficulties he or she is going through and get drawn toward addictive substances. Constant companionship, empathy, care and Ayurvedic medication will ease the path of recovery certainly.