Addiction is a terrible
disease. It gradually eats away at the very fibres
of what makes a person who they are. The consequences of addiction often extend
beyond the addict themselves. It is difficult for both the addict and their
closest family and friends to cope with the daily grind that addiction brings.
Supporting an addict isn’t easy. In fact, often the best thing to do can be
completely counterintuitive. We all feel a natural desire to protect and to
help those that we love, but when faced with a complex disease like addiction,
things need to get worse before they get better.
If you suspect that someone in your family is
struggling with an addiction to alcohol or drugs then the main emotion you are
likely to feel is worry or concern; worry for their health and wellbeing, and
concern that addictions have the potential to spiral out of control at an
alarming speed. In order to effectively help a family member to face their
addiction, and come out the other side, you will need to be prepared for a long
and difficult battle. There are no simple answers where addiction is concerned,
but there are a number of things that you can do in order to make the journey
easier for both you and them.
Source: flickr.com/photos/kphotographerrr/4505714773/ |
Remove Triggers
There are two components to
any addiction. There is the physical aspect of it, which manifests as withdrawal
symptoms when the addict’s drug of choice is removed, and there is the
psychological component. The psychological component is much harder to break,
and this is where the crux of addiction lies. An addict can be kept away from
their drug of choice until physical withdrawal subsides, but they then must
contend with the underlying issues which drove them to addiction in the first
place - and these are more difficult attachments to break.
Triggers are a big part of this. These are
the specific places and things which cause the addict to crave their drug of
choice. They can be something as simple as a particular place that the addict
associates with being high, or they can be specific people who have featured prominently
in the development of their addiction.
Legal Aid
Should your family member
find themselves on the wrong side of the law due to their addiction, they will
need some form of legal representation. This can be a scary process for
everyone involved. However, both you and your family member will feel a lot
better knowing that they have someone to represent their interests legally. Hiring
a specialised drug defence lawyer is a good move.
Remember, your family member is entitled to free legal aid when being
interviewed by the police and you or they can nominate a solicitor to represent
them for free; you do not have to rely on a duty solicitor being assigned.
Be Prepared for the Long Term
Different drugs have
different relapse rates and different safety profiles. Some addictions can
easily be life-threatening, while others
limit their impact to general quality of life issues. In either case, it will take a long time
before the addict is free completely of their addiction.
Dealing with a drug addict in
your family isn’t easy. It puts a great deal of strain on relationships and
takes a significant investment in both time and emotion to overcome. However,
for those who are willing to find a way, there is always a path to recovery.
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