How to Help a Recovering Addict? Different actions you can take to help a loved one who’s suffering from addiction

Addiction does not only impact the addict. In fact, the repercussions for family and friends are often even worse. Many loved ones believe that once the addict leaves the treatment facility, everything will rapidly improve. However, recovery is a lifelong process, for both the addict and everyone in their lives.

How to Help a Recovering Addict? Living With A Recovering Alcoholic

Addiction puts a major strain on all of an addict or alcoholic’s personal relationships, and the closer the relationship, the greater the strain. As the addiction grows stronger over time, it gradually comes to dominate every aspect of the addict’s life, especially their relationships. Eventually, every interaction between loved ones and the addict becomes influenced by their addiction in some manner.

Family and friends often try to convince their loved ones for months, or even years, to attend rehab. Rehab becomes a kind of magic cure-all. Many come to hope or believe that once their loved one returns from rehab, all of the problems in their relationship will dramatically and immediately improve. While rehab is certainly an absolutely critical first step in recovery, it doesn’t solve every problem, and it can actually create new obstacles and challenges.

The truth is that recovery is a lifelong process that dramatically changes things for someone in recovery on a daily, if not moment-to-moment, basis. Often, recovery will change an individual’s goals, expectations, behavior, and even personality. In turn, this can cause changes in loved ones and relationships. It can also force two people to confront underlying issues that were long masked by addiction.

One particular challenge that many loved ones face is knowing what to do. They want to help, but they just don’t know-how. This is especially true for those who in the past may have enabled addictive behavior. While every addiction is different, there are some general guidelines that will be helpful in most circumstances.

How to Help a Recovering Addict?

How to Help a Recovering Addict? Educate Yourself On Addiction And Recovery

Addiction and alcoholism are very complex, and recovery is one of the greatest challenges of most individuals’ lives. The best way a loved one can help an addict is to educate themselves on the many aspects of addiction and recovery, such as potential triggers, health issues, enablement, the recovery process, and the psychological changes that addiction causes. Loved ones will find it much easier to relate to and assist a recovering addict if they understand addiction, and they will also be much better equipped to help prevent relapse.

How to Help a Recovering Addict? Understand And Prepare For Extended Problems

Addiction creates many lasting problems, both for addicts and their loved ones. While sobriety will improve all of them, many will still be present during recovery. Financial problems are common, especially as the recovering addict tries to rebuild their career and pay off addiction-related debts such as DUI expenses.

Health problems caused by addiction are some of the most serious, and some, such as HIV, are permanent. Relationship problems can be the most painful; it can take years to rebuild trust, and in some cases, it just isn’t possible. Additionally, relapse is always a possibility, even after many years. Understanding and preparing for these problems will make it easier to deal with them and lessen their impact.

How to Help a Recovering Addict? Don’t Hold Unreasonable Expectations

The major desire of anyone who loves an addict is to see them clean and sober. There is also a belief that the addiction is the source of all the problems in the addict’s life and their relationships, and it is commonly assumed that merely by attending rehab someone is “cured.” Unfortunately, neither is true. Many loved ones find themselves disappointed by a recovering addict and the progress that they’ve made, or haven’t made. This is especially true when relapse occurs. It is definitely best to avoid disappointment because the recovering addict will sense that disappointment, which will, in turn, make them feel hopeless and more likely to relapse.

How to Help a Recovering Addict? Make Changes To Support Sobriety

The support of loved ones is often critical to recovering addicts maintaining their sobriety, especially in the first months after rehab. Examples of changes that support sobriety include:

How to Help a Recovering Addict? Don’t Go So Far That You’re Unfair To Yourself

As addiction grows, loved ones often find themselves giving more of themselves than is fair. They often take up more and more of the slack, financially, emotionally, and with regards to responsibilities such as chores and childcare. This often continues in recovery, particularly in the early days when the recovering addict is focusing on rebuilding a new, sober life. However, this can also be exceptionally draining after a while. Often, friends and family of addicts devote so much of their time and energy to helping someone that they neglect themselves. This is actually counterproductive. This is incredibly unfair and creates resentment and bitterness, which the recovering addict senses and makes them more likely to relapse.

How to Help a Recovering Addict? Find Support

It is impossible to properly support someone else unless you have the proper support for yourself. Additionally, there are few responsibilities that are as emotionally taxing and lonely as supporting an addict. It is critical for loved ones to find support for themselves. Therapy, counseling, and activities such as yoga are very helpful. Many find that the most important support that they receive comes from dedicated support groups families of addicts. These groups meet to provide many valuable services, including emotional support, friendship, connectedness, greater knowledge and understanding, and helpful tips and strategies. Examples of support groups include:

How to Help a Recovering Addict? Reduce Stressors

One of the biggest causes of relapse is stress. The risk is often greatest in the first months after rehab as the recovering addict adjusts to life without the escape of substances. While life outside of a treatment facility inherently comes with a great deal of stress, it cannot be completely eliminated. However, it can be greatly reduced. In instances where the stress is inherently present, stress relief techniques can be employed. Some effective stress relief techniques include:

How to Help a Recovering Addict? Set And Enforce Boundaries

One of the biggest issues with enablers is that they set boundaries, but then let their addicted addict violate them. This lets the addict believe that the boundary setter is not serious and not someone to be respected. In the future, they will disregard any boundaries, and often that person entirely. That’s why it is critical to not only make clear, firm boundaries of what is and what is not acceptable but also to firmly enforce them. There may be some initial bitterness and anger, but over time the recovering addict will come to respect and be grateful to their loved one.

How to Help a Recovering Addict? What to Do If You Suspect A Relapse

Unfortunately, relapses happen, and with great frequency. Many studies suggest that the majority of recovering addicts will eventually relapse at some point in their lives. However, just because a relapse happens, it does not mean that an individual’s long-term sobriety is at risk. With careful and rapid attention, a relapse can be limited and contained. If you suspect a recovering addict may have relapsed, consider taking the following steps:

Help Your Loved One Recover

Addiction is a terrible condition, and it is especially terrible for the loved ones that live with an addict or alcoholic. Luckily, recovery is possible.  We Level Up California can provide to you, or someone you love, the tools to recover from addiction with professional and safe treatment.  Feel free to call us to speak with one of our counselors. We can inform you about different conditions and give you clarity about how to help a recovering addict. Our specialists know what you are going through.  Please know that each call is private and confidential.