Committing to Recovery in 2022
As anyone who has seen someone struggle with addiction knows, addiction to drugs and alcohol is not something that goes away on its own. No matter how hard a person tries or how many new years resolutions are made to not go back to old habits, without addressing the underlying problems that lead to addiction in the first place, the old habits more often than not come creeping back in.
Family members and loved ones of addicts will often need to step in to intervene and help their addicted loved ones get into treatment. The sad news is that drug overdose deaths are on the rise. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention has announced that 2020 saw a 30% increase in drug overdose deaths—an estimated loss of 100,431 lives.
As we begin the chapter of a new year, these statistics remind us that now, more than ever, is the time to take action and get help for a loved one struggling with addiction.
What Family Members and Loved Ones of Addicts Can Do
There is much that family members and loved ones of addicts can do to help. In fact, many recovering addicts attribute their success in recovery to the assistance and support they got from family members and loved ones along the way.
The first thing that a family member can do for their addicted loved one is to understand what addiction is, its effects, how it comes about, and how harmful it is. Addiction is a complex, multi-faceted crisis that infringes upon a person’s physical, mental, emotional, and behavioral wellbeing. The better the family members understand it, the better equipped they’ll be to help their addicted loved ones out of it.
Next, family members and loved ones must talk to an addicted individual about their drug problem. They must not delay, they must express concerns honestly, and they must listen more than they speak. They need to be prepared for the addict to deny that they have a problem. They need to avoid lecturing, threatening, or bribing. They also need to know that just one conversation will not likely solve the problem. It will almost certainly take several conversations to make good progress.
The crucial goal is to get an addicted loved one into treatment. This may require a professionally staged intervention, or it may just necessitate several compassionate and honest conversations. But family members of addicts should never give up, should never stop trying to help their addicted loved one see the need for treatment, see that their life is in danger if they keep using drugs and alcohol.
Treating Addiction is Key to Full Recovery
As harmful as drug and alcohol addiction is, addiction is treatable, addiction-related death is preventable. Residential drug and alcohol treatment centers offer a clear path forward to recovery. Make sure your loved one gets help as soon as possible. Make 2022 about recovery and growth, not misery and loss.
Source:
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/vsrr/drug-overdose-data.htm
