Tough Love: Helping A Family Member Who Is Struggling With Addiction

By Mumma And Her Monsters January 07, 2020

It's one of the most heartbreaking things to see in life. When we have a member of the family that is struggling with addiction, it can tear a family apart. And when we are going through various problems with the family, this can be the straw that breaks the camel’s back. While we all need to learn how to reach out for help, what do we do when there's a family member that is struggling with addiction, but they cannot see it?

Identifying The Problem Early On

It's vital that we all know the signs and symptoms and if we feel that it's gone too far then we have to make sure that we get in contact with a professional. It might be important to share these observations with a professional centre. There are plenty of resources out there, such as the ANA treatment centre, which you can find out more about online. Speaking to a professional can help you to address the issue in the right way. Confronting the person who is struggling with an addiction isn't about the naming and shaming process. What we have to remember is to make sure that everybody is safe from potential harm.

Bringing Up The Subject To The Person Struggling With Addiction

This can be an incredibly tricky subject. It's important not to bring up the subject when the person is under the influence. It's important to establish a good time to talk when you and the person in question have time alone. The ultimate goal is to have a dialogue rather than telling them off. When you meet up, you must have an emphasis on care. It's important to list all the behaviours that you have seen as well as asking open-ended questions and avoiding judgement.

The Importance Of Treatment

It's crucial that we don't force treatment onto them, but we have to give them the whole picture. Treatment is essential because this may be the only way for them to cut back on their addictions. If the problems have occurred over a short period of time, the treatment doesn't have to be in a professional sense. Instead, we can help them through the issue with care and love. The person may be able to stop completely with the right emotional support but if there are relapses we have to think about professional treatment. Sometimes there are components like cognitive behavioural therapy or counselling that can help them to address the core issue of why they have an addiction. It's an incredibly difficult thing to sustain someone through when they are a family member because we may feel too close to them. It's a very difficult decision to make, such as whether you want to implement “tough love”, but in a professional sense, you have to think about it being a holistic approach, not just detoxification. Addiction is also about addressing their mental health as well.

And when someone needs help, especially in our family, it can mean that we are suffering as well. It's important to remember that when we are helping someone going through this, that we look after ourselves as well.