How To Talk To An Addict About Getting Help

How to Talk to an Addict About Getting Help to Save Their Life

Life can be frustrating when you have an addict in the family. It seems he or she is always causing friction with one family member or another. Lying, stealing, and aggression are all elements of an addict’s personality. Sometimes you just don’t know how to talk to an addict about getting help, especially when it’s a family member. The first, and most important thing to remember is addiction is a disease and not a moral issue.

How To Talk To An Addict About Getting Help

It’s important to know how to talk to an addict about getting help. Saying the wrong things can be discouraging and drive him or her deeper into their dependency and abuse. Your family member may try to borrow money or ask you to make excuses for his or her behavior. You can refuse these requests without making insulting comments. If you are asked for money, don’t say “No, your just a junkie.” Instead of applying a label to your family member, you can say “Because I care about you, I can’t contribute to something that will harm you.” Learning how to talk to an addict about getting help means you don’t apply labels. Someone who is suffering with an addiction will not react well to being labeled. Some labels you definitely want to avoid include:

• Junkie
• Coke head
• Doper
• Acid freak
• Pill popper
• Stoner
• Druggie

Applying labels like this to someone you care about gives the impression you think he or she is worthless and hopeless, when you really want them to recognize the fact their life is important to you. Explain that you understand addiction is a disease, and you are willing to do what you can to help them recover. You won’t buy candy bars for a diabetic, and you won’t give them money they will use for drugs. Both are disease that can destroy organs, the brain, and result in coma and death.

Drug Denial Behaviors

When an addict is in denial, he or she is refusing to believe they are being controlled by a drug. You will often hear a person exhibiting drug denial behaviors state, “I can stop whenever I want.” If your loved one is in denial, he or she will have excuses for every time they take a pill or have a drink. It is often blamed on the stress caused by another person. “If she didn’t nag me all the time, I wouldn’t need this drink.” Someone who is addicted will lie about it. He or she will hide the pills or the alcohol and only use it when no one is around. It’s useless to debate with someone in denial, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be reached.

No one choose to be addicted, and for some it happens more quickly than for others. WhiteSands Addiction Treatment Centers can help you arrange an intervention with an experienced addiction counselor. Family members and friends have a chance to explain to their loved one how his or her behavior is hurtful to them and also what is happening to their own brain and body. The counselor will mediate and keep the intervention going smoothly. The best option is to have the arrangements all ready so the family member can go immediately to the facility for detox.

How To Confront An Alcoholic In Denial

If you have wondered how to confront an alcoholic in denial, you can also use an intervention under the mediation of an experienced alcohol abuse counselor. He or she can provide the facts your loved one need to know about how alcohol destroys both brain and body. Family members also have the opportunity to express their concerns and explain how the disease of alcoholism is affecting the family as a whole.

Every minute counts in the life of an addict, and it’s important to get help for them as soon as possible. WhiteSands can help you plan an intervention for your loved one to get them into a recovery program that can save their life. Call us today at (877) 855-3470.

If you or a loved one needs help with abuse and/or treatment, please call the WhiteSands Treatment at (877) 855-3470. Our addiction specialists can assess your recovery needs and help you get the addiction treatment that provides the best chance for your long-term recovery.