If you are concerned about the drinking or drug use of a loved one, then you know how overwhelming that concern can be. You may not even know what to do to help them. You could be experiencing fear and indecision about what to do or even reluctance to approach them about getting the help they need.
These feelings are all very normal and natural. This is a big moment, and you want to make sure that you handle it the best way possible. While each situation will be different, there are some things you can do to help know how to persuade someone to seek help.
Learn About Treatment
You can’t talk to your loved one about getting help if you don’t know what the options are in your area or what they can do to get help. Before you think about talking to your loved one, you need to understand how you can support them and where treatment is available.
In addition to understanding the treatment options available, you also need to understand how addiction affects the brain and behavior of a person and why treatment is necessary to break free of addiction.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) can help you understand the basics of addiction: what it is, how it develops over time, and the types of interventions available. You should also do some more in-depth research into the drug being used. This can help you understand their behavior better and know what to expect when you talk to them.
Make a Plan
You can help alleviate some of the anxiety you feel about approaching your loved one by making a plan. Thinking about all the different ways the conversation might go and how you want to respond in various situations will help you feel more at ease going in.
You shouldn’t feel like you have to form the intervention plan all on your own. It can be very helpful to reach out to other people who care about the individual like friends and family members and form the plan as a group. This can take the pressure off of one individual person and can make the conversation go better if the individual knows so many people care about them.
If you still feel like you need extra help, you can hire an intervention specialist who can help you create a plan and plan the event. Their experience can help you know what to expect, what might happen during the conversation, and how to prepare ahead of time.
Control Emotions
Because you care so much about the individual, it can be very easy for emotions to get involved in the conversation. If emotions get out of hand, things can go south pretty quickly. They may also experience and show a variety of emotions from anger to guilt to disappointment to shame. You may also experience those same emotions.
If your loved one starts exhibiting some of those emotions, that is normal, but you should try to remain objective. Show that you care about them, but don’t engage in anger or shame, and guilt. Getting those emotions mirrored back at them can cause them to shut down.
Don’t Judge
If you have never struggled with addiction, it is going to be very hard for you to understand it fully. You need to go into the conversation knowing that you don’t understand all the circumstances that led up to the addiction. Some things that may seem easy or obvious to you may not be to them.
If your loved one feels like you are judging them, they are most likely going to shut down and stop engaging in the conversation at all. You should ask questions to try to understand their situation, even if you don’t agree with it. You need to act from a place of love and trust because a good emotional support system is essential to recovery.
Seek Treatment Immediately
It is important to get the person to treatment as soon as they express an interest. Have a treatment option lined up and ready to go before the conversation so they can go right into it afterward. If there is a longer waiting time between the conversation and the admittance, then they might change their mind, and you will have to start the whole process over again.
No responses yet