Women's Life Link Be Well, Be Happy, Be YOU!
Seeing that a loved one needs addiction help is a strange kind of heartbreak. They may be slowly unraveling while acting like everything’s fine. You want them to get their life back on track, yet they act as though they’ve got it under control. Maybe they even laugh it off. They promise it’s not that bad. But everything else says otherwise. It’s like watching a car drift toward an embankment or another car in slow motion, right? Sure, you can yell, wave your arms, or even try to grab the wheel, but they’re not hearing or seeing it. Even if they do hear you or even see the danger, you wonder why they are not doing anything. Here are some things to know when a loved one needs addiction help
You Can’t Force Clarity and Action
You’ve probably tried everything to let them know you are there for them. Maybe you’ve tried calm talks, emotional pleas, or even angry rants to no avail. Perhaps you’ve even offered the quiet shoulder tap where you gently say, “Hey, I’m worried about you.” And ,still, the wall goes up. When someone doesn’t think they have an addiction problem, trying to convince them often backfires. Sometimes, they even pull away or disappear. Then, you’re left replaying every conversation, trying to figure out what you said or did wrong. You can’t force them to change or have clarity about what to do next. No matter how much your love one needs addiction help, it’s up to them to take action torward recovery.
Process Your Emotions and Take Care of Yourself
You could become emotionally drained while trying to help a love one. An addiction and reckless behavior of someone you love can affect your sleep, relationships, and your peace of mind. You can’t put out their fires and ignore that you are emotionally compromised and wearing down. At that point, it’s time to consider healthy boundaries. These loving “stop here” points are about protecting yourself and refreshing your energy, so you stay healthy for youraelf and everyone in your life.
Small Moves Still Matter
You might not be able to change things overnight, but that doesn’t mean you’re powerless. You’ll need to be consistent and show up in ways that feel safe for both of you. Don’t minimise the importance of helping them with what is happening, but don’t push your help on them so hard, they shut down.
It can help to talk about getting therapy or even checking into a drug rehab. However, if they’re in denial or refuse help at this time, don’t give up on them. Be consistent with offering love, support, and understanding rather than a ‘one way or the highway’ approach. Remember, people only change when they sincerely want to.
It’s Not Your Responsibility to Save Them
Unless this loved one is your child, your responsibility for them is limited. Yes, this part stings, but it’s the truth. You can care deeply about someone and still not be able to rescue them. You can love someone fiercely and still not have the right tools to fix their problem. Their recovery, their choices, their rock bottom is theirs to navigate any way they choose to. Your job is to love them and protect your own mental health in the process; you can’t be their superhero, you can only do so much.
Know When to Have an Intervention
Interventions are typically a last resort for when you have tried all other solutions for getting through to someone. This is when a group of friends or family members team together to face a loved one and encourage them to get help. You can arrange an intervention yourself, however, it might be more effective to work with a professional interventionist. You can find professionals online that can assist with your particular situation.
