How to Help Someone with Drug Addiction in Fort Myers

Helping a Loved One With Drug Addiction

We all have people in our lives that are important to us and we would do anything we can to support them in a time of need. When you have a loved one struggling with drug addiction, it is hard to know how to help them and what you can do as you watch drugs take hold of your loved one’s life. Your loved one must understand that your support is unwavering and unconditional. To ensure you know how to help someone with drug addiction in Fort Myers, we’ve compiled some helpful tips in the article below.

If you or a loved one are struggling with addiction, call WhiteSands Alcohol and Drug Rehab today at 877.969.1993 to learn how we can help.

How to Know When Someone Needs Help With Addiction

Addiction is a unique disease to each user; however, there are some common signs and indicators that you can look for to know when your loved one’s drug use has transitioned from casual use to drug addiction. If your loved one is exhibiting some or all of these indicators, they must have your support and guidance to enter into drug rehab:

• Irregular sleep patterns
• Loss of appetite
• Isolating from family and friends
• Sudden mood swings
• Difficulty performing at work or school
• Low energy
• Decreased motivation ‘
• Lack of personal hygiene
• Loss of interest or engagement in former hobbies or interests
• Experiencing financial strain, often borrowing or stealing money

Educate Yourself

Before you can support your loved one, you must understand the nature of addiction and the toll it takes on someone’s life. Addiction is a disease that is unique to each person it affects—understanding that their own individual circumstances have impacted your loved one’s addiction and factors will assist you in understanding how your loved one’s addiction began and what has been fuelling it all along. By knowing your loved one’s experiences and triggers, you will be well informed on how to help someone with drug addiction in Fort Myers without causing any further harm or triggering them.

Offer Support and Compassion

At the height of someone’s addiction, it is common to isolate yourself from those who care most about you and feel like you are alone in your battle with addiction. Many will feel shame or guilt surrounding their drug use, causing those individuals to avoid reaching out to their loved ones in an attempt to protect their family and friends from witnessing the severity of their addiction. If your loved one is living with an active addiction, it is vital that they feel your unconditional love and support and know that they have people in their corner as they navigate their way to finding sobriety.

Encourage Them to Seek Treatment

Addiction can easily play tricks on someone’s brain. While someone can state that they no longer want to live a life in addiction but find themselves turning to drugs the next day. Even with the greatest desire to get sober, without having the therapeutic support of addiction treatment to heal from the root causes of addiction can make it challenging to remain sober. While your loved one may have slip-ups in their quest for sobriety or deny your offer to get the help they need, it is essential to be persistent and remind your loved one of the available options to get the help they need when they are ready.Support Their Recovery Long Term

When you dedicate yourself to supporting your loved one in getting help, it is important to remember that recovering from addiction is a long process and a lifelong commitment for your loved one. After your loved one decides to go to drug rehab, your support is still needed while they are in recovery and after they transition back home.

Remember to Take Care of Yourself

Watching someone you love endure the trials and tribulations of their addiction can be emotionally and physically taxing on you. While your loved one needs your support, it is also vital that you maintain your own health by taking care of your own physical and emotional needs. Your intentions are pure to be there for your loved one in a time of need, but if you don’t give yourself the self-care you need, your ability to support your loved one will be jeopardized.

What Not to Do When Trying to Help Someone with Addiction

As you witness your loved one struggle with their drug addiction, emotions are running high, and you are reacting out of love to give your loved one the encouragement and support they need to overcome their drug addiction. It is hard to know the appropriate reaction and support method for your loved one. Here are some things to avoid when offering support to your loved one:

• Lecturing or threatening your loved one to quit drugs
• Help them maintain their responsibilities to help your loved one avoid any consequences for their actions
• Starting arguments with your loved ones while under the influence of drugs
• Helping to hide or minimize their behavior by lying for them or helping them conceal their drug use from others

Addiction Treatment at WhiteSands

WhiteSands Alcohol and Drug Rehab provides residents of Fort Myers with a drug rehab program that utilizes the latest in addiction research and evidence-based therapy methods to support patients in healing from addiction through a whole-person integrated approach. Patients will develop self-awareness of what is at the root of their addictive behavior while helping individuals create a new lifestyle in recovery through life skills development and acquiring tools for relapse prevention. Our supportive team at WhiteSands Alcohol and Drug Rehab is waiting to hear from Fort Myers residents who are ready to address their addiction or support a loved one to get comprehensive support to heal from addiction. Call us today to learn more on how to help someone with drug addiction in Fort Myers and to put the right foot forward towards a new life in sobriety.

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.