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People have a tendency to tread lightly when it comes to approaching someone that may have substance abuse and addiction issues. Understandably, conflict and confrontation are what most people try to avoid. As talking to someone about their substance abuse habits has an underlying confrontational element, it can feel like a cumbersome task ripe for anxiety, depression, fatigue, and other emotional problems.
Not all, but many who suffer from active addiction use their friends and family as a resource to continue their addiction. It is not an attempt to hurt anyone but more of their survival instincts kicking in. Addiction is an internal battle, and our human nature for subsistence becomes priority. As such, dependence is created, and so dependence must be broken by friends and family in order to begin down the path to recovery.
How to Confront a Loved One Struggling with Addiction
For someone who wants to address addiction in a family member or close friend, the first step is to rely on your gut feeling. You will want to believe your loved ones because it feels like the right thing to do in your heart, but the truth is that your heart may lead you to enabling them. The worst part is that it almost always feels like the right thing to do. Remember: If something feels fishy or unusual in your gut, it probably is.
The absolute best thing you can do is to not tip-toe around the issue, but to meet it head-on instead. This is not something to sweep under the rug and hope that something changes on its own, for it will not. For a person to overcome drug and alcohol addiction, there usually needs to be some type of intervention, which can come in many forms.
The two most popular forms of interventions are:
- One-on-one conversations between the person fighting addiction and a trusted loved one.
- Hiring a professional interventionist to assist with initial confrontations and treatment decisions.
Unfortunately, some people struggling with substance abuse tendencies will not understand the need for an intervention until they are arrested, suffer a near-fatal overdose, or experience the fatal overdose of another user they knew personally. It is so important to reach out to addiction treatment specialists sooner than later if you do not know how to conduct an intervention. Time is not on your side in such a dangerous situation.
Overcoming Self-Deception & Starting Recovery
A common, hazardous trait of an active user and addicted individual is self-deception. This is the action or practice of allowing oneself to believe a false or invalidated feeling, idea, or situation is true. When a person shows love and concern for an active user, there can be kickback due to the delusions created by self-deception. Breaking self-deception is key to recovery and lasting sobriety.
Being subtle will get you little to no response or progress. If someone had a life-threatening disease, would you delicately address the issue of treatment if they were doing nothing about it? Certainly not. If you are worried about a loved one, do not hesitate to find out how you can help them with professional treatments and rehabilitative programs. You do not have to use the “attack method,” rather come from a place of love and concern. Pointing the finger at someone places them into a fight-or-flight situation and will most likely leave you with a poor outcome.
Be sure to address your own feelings such as, “I’m worried about your wellbeing.” By showing the person how their addiction is making you feel and negatively impacting your life, they can start to realize the extent of the danger they are creating. Separate the addiction from the person, though, and always use honesty to help build inspiration for change.
Once it is clear it is time to get a professional’s guidance and support, call (844) 292-5010 to connect with Decision Point Center in Prescott, Arizona. Our alcohol and drug rehab center is known throughout Arizona for providing personalized and effective therapies and detoxes with a backing based on the 12-step recovery system. By utilizing our residential treatment programs, you can rediscover your inner strength, defeat addiction, resist relapse, and focus on your deserved brighter tomorrow with confidence.
Founded in 2004, our Arizona addiction treatment center has been changing lives for the better ever since. Find out how we can help you by contacting us now.