Addiction recovery is a lifelong journey. Remind your loved one of this and encourage them to attend therapy sessions.
Be honest about your concerns and avoid using judgmental language like “addict.” Help your loved one find a hobby that will keep them busy and provide them with stress relief.
Encourage Self-Care
Addiction is a difficult disease for anyone to face. Your loved one will have to continue working on her sobriety even after leaving treatment. It would help if you took care of yourself, as well.
Don’t let your love for your addicted friend or family member keep you from maintaining your healthy habits, such as exercising, eating well, and getting enough sleep. Make sure you have your own support system in place to help your loved one when needed.
Once your loved one returns from drug rehab Louisville, she may feel under a microscope as she tries to reintegrate into daily life. Refrain from nagging her or questioning her decisions to avoid triggering her into bad habits. Instead, focus on offering positive, healthy activities you can do together, such as hiking, fishing, or antiquing.
Removing Triggers
A recovering addict faces many challenges, including learning to deal with triggers that could cause a relapse. One such trigger is having the opportunity to use drugs or alcohol again. It is important to help your loved one build a life that is free of substances.
For example, you may need to remove triggers from your home by removing any drugs or alcohol and getting rid of paraphernalia. You should also encourage your loved one to participate in healthy activities such as volunteering, taking a class, or exercising.
It is important to avoid enabling behaviors as these can discourage your loved one from seeking professional treatment for their addiction. This might include praising their accomplishments and refraining from comparing them to people who still use drugs or alcohol.
Building a Support System
In recovery, your loved one may experience various emotions, including fear, sadness, anger, and frustration. Encouraging them to express their feelings can help them overcome these difficult moments.
It’s also important to communicate clearly and consistently. Avoid blaming, shaming, or preaching. Instead, offer encouragement and support by refocusing the conversation on their positive steps forward.
Learn as much as you can about addiction and recovery so that you understand what your loved one is going through. Your knowledge will help you stay on track during the intervention and make it a success. If your loved one refuses treatment, decide with the rest of the team what you will do and say beforehand. For example, you might promise to move out or not lend them money.
Avoiding Enabling Behaviors
It can be easy to get caught up in enabling behaviors that maintain an addiction. This may include paying for bills or other financial support that can be used to fuel drug and alcohol use. It could also involve covering for a loved one when they call out of work or fail to show up for an engagement with others because of drinking.
Enabling can be more harmful than helpful in the long run. Instead of allowing your loved one to continue with destructive behaviors, you can help them find new ways to engage in positive activities. Hobbies and other interests keep people busy, relieve stress, and provide opportunities to build positive relationships with others. They can also help your loved ones connect with a supportive community of those in recovery.
Creating a Positive Environment
Having a loved one in recovery requires you to be willing to speak up about the issues that concern you. It would help if you also learned more about addiction and recovery so that you understand the difference between helping and enabling.
Encourage your loved one to attend therapy sessions and participate in family therapy if offered by their treatment provider. Enrolling in therapy is an important part of the recovery process and will help them work through their underlying issues.
Avoid comparing your loved one to others, as this can make them feel inadequate and increase their risk of relapse. Instead, focus on their successes and achievements, including those in recovery. Emphasize positive possibilities, such as learning a new hobby that they enjoy. Hobbies keep people busy and provide a way to express creativity and build confidence.
