How To Talk To Someone Who May Be Headed Towards Addiction
Unfortunately most addicts build moats around themselves that prevent them from admitting and changing their behaviors.
Dealing with the love of my life, what is the most effective way to make someone see that they’re heading to a life of substance abuse? originally appeared on Quora, the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world. You can follow Quora on Twitter, Facebook, and Google Plus.
That’s a very good yet tough question. I don’t believe there’s a silver bullet to this question or a single model for an effective intervention. It’s very personal and depends on the situation, how long that person has been struggling with addiction, and the relationship between you and your partner. Having said that, I will answer it from my own personal experience with substance abuse. I personally struggled with it as a teenager. At first it was very benign and never expected it to go out of hand. But eventually things started spiraling out of control and it manifested in my relationships with loved ones and grades at school. Luckily, my mother was able to take notice, just as you did with your loved one, and intervened with the support of a therapist. This model is typically known as the Johnson Model, which includes a loved one and a social worker/therapist intervening in an addict without their prior knowledge of the intervention.
Unfortunately most addicts build moats around themselves that prevent them from admitting and changing their behaviors. The goal of the intervention is to help them admit that they have a problem and discuss steps that the addict and loved one, with the support of a professional, can take to prevent it from escalating. This could mean treatment, weekly meetings with a therapist or psychologist, rehab, or a combination of all. It depends on the severity of the situation. In my case, it was an early intervention, which made it easier for me to recover. The earlier the intervention takes place, the better the outcome. Just like any disease, screening for early signs may increase the likelihood of recovery and treatment. Take cancer for example. If you catch it at stage 1 or 2, the survival rate, depending on the case, is much higher than if it was caught at stage 3 or 4. Addiction is very similar. If you only find out about your loved ones addiction 5 years into it, it will be harder for them to admit it and/or be treated.
Professional help is always recommended in these situations as interventions may become hostile if not conducted in an open and empathetic manner. Here are a few links that you can access online to help you learn more about the different intervention models:
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
I would recommend speaking with a professional first before intervening to get expert advice and familiarize yourself with the different models. This will also help you become more confident in your approach and increase the likelihood of a successful outcome.
The takeaway that I got from my intervention is that I have loved ones that care for me and want me to get better. Humans want to feel loved, cared for, and safe. Creating that environment is very important for any relationship, but especially for addicts. Avoid using stigmatizing or ostracizing language and make them feel like you're all in this together, because at the end of it all, addiction is a family disease and it affects everyone in it.
This question originally appeared on Quora. More questions on Quora:
* Substance Abuse: What are the most important factors in preventing substance abuse and addiction and why?
* Opioid Crisis: How are remote patient monitoring devices being used to fight the opioid crisis?
* Interpersonal Interaction: What is the most effective way to approach someone you love about substance abuse issues without alienating or upsetting them?
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