How to Tell A Loved One That It’s Time for An Addiction Recovery Program

An alcoholic or drug addict is usually the last person to admit that they have a substance abuse problem. As the addict spirals further and faster into self-destruction, family and loved ones are often left wondering what to do. As a family member of someone with a substance problem, you are mostly likely suffering just as much if not more than the abuser in your life. Resolving the situation is not as easy as many people would believe who have not been in your shoes.

Be Prepared for Confrontation

Rarely will an addict or alcoholic go willingly into a drug addiction program without a fight. You will most likely be met with an ugly confrontation and you must be prepared for that. For many family members, this confrontation is too difficult to bear. To avoid confrontation, families tend to either ignore the situation or become so frustrated with the addict that they completely turn their back on them for good.

The addict or alcoholic is not in a sane state of mind. She is not able to make rational decisions or observations while in the midst of using. Somewhere inside her is the person you know and love, but when the addiction takes over, you must understand that you are not dealing with that rational person any longer. Though it is obvious to everyone else that drugs and alcohol are ruining her life, she may not fully understand the magnitude of the addiction. Non-addicts can’t fully understand how deep an addiction can take hold of a person.

Enabling Feeds Addiction

It is our nature to want to take care of those that we love. However, many family members who think that they are helping an addict are actually fueling the addiction. You are enabling an addict when you provide shelter, food, money, love, and forgiveness for ongoing destructive behavior.

If you truly want to help an alcoholic or addict to heal, it is essential not to enable him or her. In order to do this, you must be honestly prepared to cut off your loved one from any sort of help or support as long as they are using. This may mean forcing her to find another place to live, cutting off all income, or taking away visitation rights with children if children are in danger. It’s going to hurt – but it is necessary. You must be absolutely clear that the only way you will be supportive is if she chooses to seek professional help.

Finding Help in Controlled Addiction Recovery Environment

When the alcoholic or addict you love finally hits rock bottom after you refuse to enable her, it is now time for you to make the a decision that will impact the rest of her life. If you take her back into your home or begin providing financial support again without any professional addiction recovery guidance, the chances of relapse are astronomical.

Addiction is a behavior that must be unlearned. There are specific, time-tested addiction recovery strategies that will work if and when someone is willing to take the journey to recovery. Unlearning destructive behaviors and replacing them with positive behaviors requires a great deal of effort, strategy, and practice. The time spent in an addiction recovery program will likely be the most difficult, yet most rewarding time of an addict’s life.

It is important to seek out an addiction recovery program that treats the entire person. Simply ridding the body of the toxins of drugs and alcohol is not enough. A recovering addict must get to the root of their addiction, confront their mistakes and wrongdoings, find healthy was to respond to stresses, and learn to love their authentic self. Countless studies have shown that poor self-esteem is often at the root of addiction for women. In most cases, unless women learn to improve their self-esteem in addition to learning addiction recovery skills, they are very likely to relapse. It is for this reason that The Open Door women’s addiction recovery center offers specialized programs designed to teach recovery skills an build self esteem including:

• Individual Counseling
• Group Therapy
• Jana Heckerman’s Tapestry Program
• 12 Step Meetings
• Cultural Activities
• Equine Therapy
• Yoga
• Pilates
• Artistic Expression
• Cooking Classes
• Self Discovery Exercises

Those that are addicted to alcohol, marijuana, or cocaine may be able to go directly into an addiction recovery program. Those addicted to crystal meth, pain pills, and sometimes cocaine may need to go to a detox center before going into an addiction recovery program like Open Door.

We’re Here to Help...

To find out more about how you specifically can approach the woman in your life about her addiction, please Contact Us right away or phone Open Door Retreat at (888) 404-7625. Our specially trained staff will work with you to find the best way to talk to your loved one about conquering her addiction and starting down the path of a life of joy and abundance in sobriety.