Nat Sauteed
Nowadays most people have someone in their life who suffers from addiction, whether it’s in the form of drug abuse, alcohol, sex or gambling. They may be our family members, a partner or a friend. Substance dependency naturally change relationships in a negative way, they may get painful and destructive. Thus, there is a common belief that staying with a person who is an addict of any kind means being codependent. But is this really true? Should we walk away if our beloved one suffers from addiction? Is it a good tip to ‘detach with love’ or ‘to practice tough love’? I don’t think so. Moreover, research also reveals the opposite. According to the study, partners of addicted individuals play a crucial role in helping their partner to recover. Many healthcare experts recommend family members and friends to get involved with the treatment process. Today partners and families are encouraged to help their loved ones undergoing luxury addiction treatment. They say it can greatly improve their chances of recovery. No matter how close an addict is, they need much support and compassion to be healed.
The power of compassion
Recently researchers have revealed that compassion and support from others make a huge impact on how our brains function. Kindness and encouragement influence the sense of well-being as well as enhance the work of different body systems.
Genuine compassion is wired in human nature. Everyone is able to be compassionate and everyone has a powerful need to be sympathized. People with substance abuse issues often feel that their needs are unmet and wants are unheard. Thus, when we express compassion we let know those with a substance abuse problem that we recognize their suffering. It means their pain is not invisible, we see it and are ready to help. Moreover, it helps to remind a loved one that they have right to express negative emotions that go hand in hand with recovery. Compassion can help to counteract the feeling of shame and self-disgust experienced by person during drug rehabilitation. Addicts must feel safe not to bottle up their anger, sadness as distressing feelings can lead to relapse. It’s vital for them to know that there is someone who cares about them and offers comfort in hard times.
How to help your loved one stay sober
Learn more about addiction. It’s hard to imagine what addiction is like if you haven’t experienced it yourself. You may try to guess how it feels but actually there are different types of addiction and each of them is unique.So the very first step to help your beloved one is to know more about the characteristics and symptoms of their addiction. Find information about the risks and signs of relapse of particular addiction to prevent it.
- Provide an addicted person undergoing any kind of luxury rehabilitation program with complete acceptance. Recovering addicts typically feel judged by others. Consequently, try to refrain from criticism and negative judgements not to cause more stressful feelings. Instead, show your love and praise efforts to maintain sobriety.
- Keep the environment free of substances. Removing any addictive substances can protect your loved one from cravings and enhance long-term recovery. Encourage a person fighting addiction to stay away from places that can trigger temptation to relapse. Minimizing contact with drugs and alcohol makes the recovery much easier.
- Promote healthy habits. Encourage your loved one to do substance-free activities. The can be anything you both enjoy like playing games, cooking or working out. You can join a local sports club together or to go hiking. This may not only distract a person with substance abuse issues from cravings, but can also strengthen your bond.
- Be an active listener. If your loved one is on the way to recovery, he or she probably needs to be listened to by a person who understands all the difficulties of treatment process. Share the victories and struggles faced by a recovering addict to help overcome all the obstacles.
- Be patient. Your partner or family member may mess up facing with recovery difficulties. Still it’s important for them to feel supported when they make mistakes. They need to know that there is someone who is always by their side as recovery is a complicated process.
- Find a support group. Interaction between recovering addicts is so important because they can encourage each other the way they really need. Community of people who are bound by the same big aim can play a crucial part for successful treatment.
How to help your loved one who does not admit he or she has a problem?
Sometimes people suffering from addiction issues are not willing to confess that they are dependent on substances. In some cases they deny they have a problem which makes it even more complicated to provide them with compassion. Naturally, it is very difficult to support your loved ones in their suffering if they don’t not share it with you.
Still, you should realize that your loved one is suffering whether he or she is able to admit it or not. Denial of addiction problems doesn’t mean that an individual wants to struggle with pain, disappointment and anger. These negative feelings literally wear a person off. A recovering addict at a luxury rehab center may feel shame because of being out of control and embarrassing themselves in front of others. The best way to help a person come out of denial is to support emotionally and show acceptance.
Despite the fact that there may be a roller coaster of emotions in relationships when your loved one enters a luxury drug rehab, there is a real hope for a brighter future. Support is viewed as the most beneficial strategy of recovery that helps to tone down negative emotions and empower an individual to beat addiction. Note that even a small gesture like a kind understanding look or a comforting touch can encourage a person you love and enhance the recovery process. And remember that sharing one’s pain does not necessarily means being codependent.
