How to Deal With Someone on Drugs or Drinking
Drug and alcohol addictions change the people you love into people that you don't even know. It's hard to understand why they would let themselves get to this point, and you may even get so frustrated that you want to give up on them. Don't give up. Learn to understand their addiction and the ways to help them overcome their disease.
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Instructions
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Accept the truth about your loved one's addiction. It is hard to admit, even quietly to yourself, that your mother, brother, friend or husband is addicted to drugs or alcohol. It means you have a problem on your hands that you'd rather not deal with, but you must.
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Stop encouraging bad behavior. If your loved one laughs about their drunken stories, let them know you're not amused. If they invite you to a party where drugs and alcohol are present, let them know you're not interested and tell them why.
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Limit the amount of money you lend. You don't have to let anyone go without food or electricity, but if you know your loved one is using the money for drugs and alcohol, pay the bills directly or come over with groceries instead of money.
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Educate yourself on intervention programs, such as Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous. You may need to wait for the right time to talk about this with your loved one, but the more you know about addictions and how people beat them, the better you can help them overcome drugs or alcohol.
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Understand that the addiction changed your loved one; they didn't choose to change. When someone is addicted to drugs or alcohol, they may stop eating right, their personal hygiene may suffer and their personality may change, even to the point that you don't recognize them.
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Stage an intervention with family, friends and a professional counselor trained in interventions. Be prepared for anger, defiance and denial. Don't give up, though, it may just be enough to get them thinking about their situation and what needs to change.
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Join support groups for family or friends of addicts. The Recovery Connection website offers support groups for family and friends, as well as support for those addicted to drugs or alcohol.
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