When someone you love battles an addiction, it’s important to take the time to be as understanding and supportive as possible. There are many people who just turn their back on someone in active addiction. They assume the person chooses to use drugs, is weak or is a lost cause. This can make recovery very difficult for someone because they feel alone and hopeless.
If you have a loved one in recovery, it’s important to support them as well as you can. It’s important to take the time to understand what addiction really is and why it’s so detrimental to someone’s life. The following guide walks you through a few things you need to know in order to support someone you love during recovery.
Get Rid of Your Preconceived Notions
There are a lot of stigmas that come with addiction. Society often portrays those in active addiction as being degenerates, thieves and morally bankrupt. This isn’t always the case, though. Many morally sound people have become addicted to drugs accidentally. Drug use starts with a choice to take the drugs or not, but addiction isn’t a choice. It commonly starts somewhat accidentally. Painful injuries often lead to people to need to take powerful prescription pain pills. These pills are often very addictive. It’s important to be patient, kind and understanding if someone develops an addiction after an accident or injury.
Addiction can be Hereditary
Many people make the mistake of not realizing that addiction can actually be heredity. Research has shown that it is considered a form of mental illness. The genetic markers for addiction can be passed down between generations. If someone in your family has had issues with drug abuse, you have more of a chance to become addicted yourself.
Genetics Can Play a Role in Addiction
Genetics can cause people to be impulsive, willing to take risks and feel invincible. When someone has the genetic markers for addiction, it’s best to avoid drugs or alcohol altogether. Genetics can also affect the way that people handle certain aspects of life. Some people aren’t genetically equipped to handle stress well. When they become stressed, they start to panic and could give up altogether on whatever it is that they are doing. People who aren’t able to handle stress well often turn to drugs to self-medicate. They feel if they can cope with the stress and still function, they don’t have an addiction, but that’s not the case. Many people become addicted to medications because they aren’t able to cope with the stress of daily life without them.
Addiction Can be a Learned Condition
If children are exposed to drug use, they are going to be more likely to use drugs themselves. This is due to the fact that the drugs are readily available to them and drug use becomes the norm for them. The children often become so accustomed to the way that someone in active addiction behaves that they think that’s the way they are supposed to behave. When they get older, they may not look at drugs as being dangerous to try. This is why children who have been exposed to drug use need to be monitored closely. Knowing what your kids are doing at all times and who they are having out with can decrease the chances of them become addicted to drugs in the end.
Addiction Never Goes Away
It’s important to know that addiction never goes away. There’s always a chance that you could relapse. You need to keep your guards up and avoid any Temptations that could make you relapse. There are many people who make the mistake of thinking that they are strong enough to resist a relapse because they have gone through years of sobriety. This is never the case. It is not good to tempt fate when it comes to drug use. It’s best to avoid drugs and alcohol as much as you can after you get out of recovery.
If you have a loved one who is battling addiction, it’s important to support them. Try to avoid bringing drugs and alcohol around them. If you know you were going to an event where there will be a lot of temptation, you may want to avoid inviting them. Also, do not get them gifts such as a bottle of wine or a shot of whiskey for their birthday or other celebration. If you need a proper detox before entering into treatment, which is always recommended, check out the the best Scottsdale Detox Facility.
Relapses Are Often Unexpected
People often make the mistake of assuming that someone chooses to relapse. This is not the case at all though. Some individuals are involved in accidents that leave them in a lot of pain. Their doctors prescribe them pain medication to ease the pain and they end up getting addicted to them.
Addicted individuals who are in recovery often assume that they can control themselves when it comes to Pain management if they have been sober for an extended period of time. At first, they may follow the doctor’s directions closely and only take the medications as prescribed. Eventually, they may start to notice that the drugs are not giving them the sensation they desire. They often take more and more of the pills more frequently than they should. This often causes a relapse to happen. There’s a great Drug Rehab In Tucson that understands this concept of Addiction and breaking the vicious cycle that we refer to.
It’s important to be proactive when it comes to addiction. If you know that addictive behavior runs in your family, it’s best to educate your children about it before they reach a point where they want to try things out for themselves. You want to be sure that they know the risks involved and can make informed decisions in the future. While experimenting is common for young adults, truly knowing what the risks are can be a huge deterrent when it comes to drug use. If you are fearful that someone you love is already in active addiction, try to talk them into getting help. Professional treatment centers can help them learn how to live without drugs and have a fulfilling life.
