7 Tips To Help Someone Overcome An Addiction

Addiction is devastating for addicts themselves, but they also have an impact on everyone else. The financial hardship, drama, lying, worries, and potential legal problems and violent behavior on the part of the addict can all rock the world of an addict's relatives. At the end of the day, they are often still there to support the addict, hoping to help them finally overcome their addiction. 

1. Be there. Be supportive. 

Research has shown that addicts who have supportive, warm, high-quality relationships are more likely to enter "remission" — in which they are consistently able to abstain from the behavior or substance they are addicted to — than others. Just by being there and treating your addicted loved one with love, respect, and kindness, you are reducing the risk that they'll relapse once they have entered treatment for their addiction. 

2. Encourage your loved one to seek treatment

If your loved one has tried to liberate themselves from their addiction numerous times only to relapse, they're following the same pattern many addicts do. Addiction is a brain disease, and in some cases one that creates a physical dependence. It's completely normal for an addict not to be able to quit by themselves running only on will power. Loved ones can encourage their addicted friend or relative to seek the professional treatment they need to finally help them recover from their addiction. 

3. Help your loved one research treatment options

It can be really difficult for an addict to reach out to a professional to talk about their addiction, and the task of researching treatment options can be daunting. Once your loved one has opened up about being ready to change, you can play an extremely valuable role by helping them out here. (There's a link where you can find a board-certified addiction specialist near you in the links box below if you are in the United States, but rehab programs or support groups like Alcoholics Anonymous can also be the right choice.)

4. Look after yourself, too

This is especially important if you are the addict's spouse, parent, child, or sibling, and you live with them. It is easy for your loved one's addiction to completely take over your life. Not only does that get in the way of being able to support your loved one as they strive to overcome their addiction, it will also — clearly — come with mental health consequences for you. Don't be afraid to set boundaries and take a step back when you need to. 

5. Don't enable

Don't play along with an addict's clearly false statement that they haven't been using or engaging with their behavioral addiction. Don't give or lend them money to support their addiction. Don't be sucked into their vortex and join them in their addiction, and don't buy them drugs or alcohol. Don't let them gaslight you, and definitely react if they are ever violent with you. 

6. Don't convince yourself you can fix everything

Asking and encouraging your addicted loved one to seek treatment to overcome their addiction is great. Nagging or threatening them into it will not work, however.  An addict has to want to get clean, sober, or abstinent for any treatment plan to have any chance of success. You are more likely to motivate the person in your life to get help by showing care, love, and concern, than by becoming angry, giving them ultimatums, or criticizing their personality.

If your addicted loved one is a minor child you can and should, of course, require them them to be in treatment. If your addicted loved one is a partner, you can, of course, tell them that you cannot be in a relationship with them any longer if they don't seek help — and if your addicted loved one is another relative or friend, you can tell them you will remove yourself from their life for your own sanity. 

7. Once your loved one is in treatment, ask their care providers how you can help

Addiction and addiction recovery aren't "one-size-fits all" situations. Once your loved one enters treatment, you can ask their doctor or therapist how you can best support them on their path towards freedom from addiction. Armed with both in-depth knowledge of addiction and recovery and your loved one's own personal situation, they can give you tailored tips that will truly help.