Now that your loved one has enrolled in a detox or rehab program, how can you best support them during their recovery? Learn how to offer support in recovery.
One of the hardest parts of a person’s recovery journey is admitting that they need help. Once they have enrolled in a program, they are getting the help they need from professionals and beginning their recovery process.However, your biggest challenge could be allowing your loved one to receive the help they need from strangers. Often people who have been abusing substances have been relying on their loved ones to take care of them financially, emotionally, and in many other ways. This can be a hard habit to let go of for both the addict and the person supporting them. But it is a vitally important part of the process.
You must be healthy in order to help your loved one. As your loved one goes through their recovery journey from substance abuse, you also will want to heal from the effects that their substance abuse has had on your life. If your life has been broken by the presence of addiction, and you have no idea how to start putting the pieces back together again, reach out for help. Ask a friend or family member for advice and consider seeking therapy to process the struggles you have been through. You can also look into getting support through Al-Anon. Al-Anon is a group of people who are trying to figure out the best way to help themselves while figuring out how to support a friend in recovery at the same time.
Another thing to keep in mind when you are supporting a recovering addict is that their addiction is a disease. And although your loved one’s character and behavior may have changed, they are not a monster or a bad person. It is normal for people who are supporting the person with an addiction to get frustrated or even angry with their loved one at times during the recovery process. Try to keep in mind that your loved one most likely already feels a tremendous amount of shame and guilt for the hurt and chaos that their disease has caused in their life and in the lives of the people they love. You may need to take periodic breaks during this time, and that is both understandable and healthy.If you do not already understand the disease of addiction, learning about it is a great way to help support and encourage someone in rehab. We do encourage families to get educated about the disease of addiction while their loved one is in rehab, and also like to invite family members and support people to play a role in the recovery process whenever possible.
Another important part of the recovery process is letting the addict learn from their mistakes. Addicts need to learn how to cope with the daily struggles of life and ride the roller coaster of ups and downs without being rescued or enabled. Developing the ability to be resilient, is one of the greatest tools an addict has in their toolbox. Many addicts abuse substances to numb themselves or run away from both their personal traumas and also the stresses and fears they experience on a daily basis. By reminding the person you love that you care for them, while at the same time allowing them to fall down, pick themselves back up, and brush themselves off and keep on going, you are helping them to realize how strong and how self-reliant they really are. This builds confidence and hope for a sober future in an addict.
Understanding that recovery is a life-long process for an addict, will help you keep your stamina when supporting your friend or family member. Even if your loved one relapses, you need to stay strong, hold to your boundaries, and not lose hope that they will re-enter recovery. Unfortunately, relapse is a part of many addicts’ stories. Never give up hope!
If you would like to attend our Family Group on Fridays from 7 to 8 pm, located at 10600 SE McLoughlin Blvd in Milwaukie, we would love for you to join us. Our Family Group is facilitated by our caring and trained staff who are familiar with the struggles families go through while coping with loved ones in rehab.Our current and past clients who have struggled with substance abuse and their family members who attend are provided with a safe and loving atmosphere to express themselves and work on future reconciliation and communication skills. We would like to encourage you to come either by yourself or with your loved one to join us, even if you or your loved one are not ready to share. And feel free to ask questions to our staff and clients at Oregon Trail Recovery. We believe in the therapeutic value of one addict helping another.
If you are seeking help for your loved one or family member, and you believe they should start with our detox program, we at Pacific Crest Trail Detox, LLC, invite you to call us at (844) 692-7528 and speak with one of our caring admission staff. We offer high-quality, affordable, and compassionate support for recovering addicts looking to end their substance use and overcome the struggles of physical and psychological withdrawal.If you are seeking help for your loved one or family member, we at Oregon Trail Recovery, LLC offer PHP, IOP, OP and sober living rehab services. Please give our admission staff a call at (855) 770-0577 and we will help you find the next best place for your specific recovery needs.