Getting Clean: The Continued Fight Against Addiction
Do you have a loved one who is currently struggling with addiction and substance abuse? Do you feel alone in your support or as if there is no hope for your loved one to get better? A part of being a strong support system is to keep your hope alive that your friend or family member can, in fact, get better. There are always options and it is never too late for someone to seek help to improve their lives and their health. Those who offer their support to a loved one with an addiction have their heart in the right place, but they may also be giving in to enabling behavior.
This isn’t the fault of the one who is trying to help the one they care about. It is simply a matter of not having the right tools to offer their help, other than what they can offer as far as a shoulder to cry on or to lend money or other resources. This can be seen as a form of enabling. While it is a kind deed done from the goodness of someone’s heart, it is also telling the addicted individual that they can continue to do what they want and will be rewarded for it. This can lead to an unhealthy relationship, where the caring individual who is offering resources and their energy to the addicted person is actually being taken advantage of.
As much as a loved one wants to help, many times they are ill-equipped to do much other than enable or to try and give advice to who they are trying to support. Suggesting to your loved one that they seek help on their own is the best step that one can take, even if it means continually bringing it up until that person considers it as an option. Sadly, for someone to seek help for themselves they must choose to do it on their own. Otherwise, they may not have the fortitude to see their therapy all the way through. That is why having a strong support system is very important. By showing your support and guiding your loved one to seek help from clean rehab centers in Tampa, you are doing your part well as a supportive friend and family member to further their personal growth. Offering someone strength by supporting their good choices helps to foster a positive mindset that an addict requires in order to stick with what they are doing to get over their addiction.
Addiction has been shown to be inheritable. Many families who experience things such as alcohol or substance addiction from one member can often see it passed down through the generations. The science behind how this happens is still being studied, but the idea that we as a human race may have DNA that is embedded with the actions of our ancestors can help to determine early signs of addictive behavior in someone. A clean and proper rehab center has all of the up-to-date information regarding these types of studies and they understand how to work with those who have an aggressive addiction problem within their own family lineage.
The truth is that it isn’t just the person who is indulging in an addictive activity that is being harmed by their behavior and “using” mentality. The toll that addiction takes on families can be extremely severe and sometimes even irreparable. Those who are addicted to various substances, ranging from alcohol to prescription drugs or “hard” drugs, can and will affect the lives of those around them. The repercussions that can happen for an individual whose life is overrun by addiction can be great. Addiction can lead to the addict to lose their jobs, their closest relationships and friendships, alienate them from family members, and it can even threaten their life and the lives of others. Depending on the severity, the toll that an addicted individual can take on themselves, their own health, their body, and their mind, is astronomical.
Healing from addiction doesn’t happen overnight. Instead of allowing yourself to toss and turn at night with worry about where your loved one is and whether or not they are safe, being able to help them make the right choice for themselves is what being a good friend and loving family member is all about.
