The Top Five Ways to Handle a Substance Abuse Addict

Health and Wellness - Life Trials

By: PriscillaBenfield     02-Mar-2011

Browsing Health and Wellness Lists

Introduction:

Substance abuse can happen in the best of families. You cannot make an addict stop abusing drugs or alcohol but there are things that you can do. Here are the top 5 ways to handle a substance abuse addict.

Confront Them

If you have someone in your life who is a substance abuser, confront them about their habit. You need to not look the other way but acknowledge what they are doing by letting them know you are aware of their substance abuse.

Their Reaction

If the addict will not admit to having a substance abuse issue or reacts defensively, you will need to stand firm and not be fooled by them. Do not allow them to sway you from believing that their drug or alcohol use is not a problem. If you believe strongly that they are addicted, they probably are.

Intervention

Either with the help of a professional or just a group of friends and family, stage an intervention where you let the addict know how you all feel about the person's substance abuse. Let them know you will stand by them if they choose to seek treatment through rehab but tell them you will not enable their behavior.

Walk Away

After you have offered support, confronted the addict and they deny their substance useage is a problem, you need to walk away. You cannot "fix" an addict and you must make it clear that you will not enable their behavior. Shutting them out of your life until they will agree to seek treatment is what you need to do.

Get Support

It is hard to walk away from someone who is in effect slowly killing themselves with their drug or alcohol use. You need to take care of your own mental health now by seeking support for yourself. You have done all that you can do to help the addict, the next step is theirs.




Final Thoughts

To not acknowledge someone's addiction is to enable their behavior. Sometimes an addict needs to be cut off from people who truly love and care for them in order for them to accept their addiction.


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Comments

  • Katie 6/2/2011

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    Alanon holds the answer :) Good article

  • tracyann 4/7/2011

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    Wonderful list, we are living with this on both sides of our families. So sad, remember to keep praying for your loved one. Thank you for this list. H5!

  • goodselfme 3/29/2011

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    Well detailed help for the addict and then the person themselves. Unfortunately the caring people care more for others than they do for themselves so quite often stay too long for their own health.

  • penelope7 3/22/2011

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    Very well stated. Thanks for sharing. H5

  • PajamaMommy 3/8/2011

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    So sad to watch someone go through addiction, but it is so true that you can't enable them. Great advice here, Priscilla.

  • tamron 3/5/2011

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    Great advice for addiction! I went to 8 different rehabs myself finally I reached the end of my rope! I stayed in a women rehab for a year the best thing I ever did. I didn't want to go at first I new if I didn't I would die! I was already dieing! Great info. advice for addiction!

  • clewand550 3/4/2011

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    Nice advice. Great job on this list.

  • BonnieDossKnight 3/3/2011

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    Been there, done those things. Go to Alanon & learn to take care of you. You can't change anybody. HI5 list

  • SherriThornhill 3/3/2011

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    Great advice--my family has gone through this more than once. It's heartbreaking when you cannot get them to accept help.

  • hummingbirdee 3/3/2011

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    Great list. Prescription Drug Abusers are the sneaky ones. All are hard to deal with.

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