Getting clean and sober can be a difficult process. However, knowing how to help a recovering addict can benefit not only the individual struggling but also their loved ones.
It is crucial to avoid enabling their addiction when trying to help, and that is a fine line to maintain. However, encouragement and support go a long way when it comes to maintaining their recovery.
How to Help a Recovering Addict Stay Strong
How to help a recovering addict stay sober involves consistent support, encouragement, and a stable environment. Encouraging them to stick to their plan of recovery—generally including attending therapy, self-help groups, and a healthy routine—helps them to maintain the routine they set.
Give them a non-judgmental space where they can share struggles and successes by actively listening and providing support. Promoting healthy habits like exercise, good nutrition, and a healthy sleep routine can also help aid in their recovery journey.
It is also crucial to maintain healthy boundaries and a balanced relationship in order to help a recovering addict. Celebrating milestones, no matter how big or small, can help boost their confidence and motivate them to stay the course.
Offering Emotional and Mental Support
One of the best things that can be done to help a recovering addict stay sober is to offer emotional and mental support. Oftentimes, people who struggle with addiction have felt alone, with no support, through their active addiction.
When they get clean and sober, they should know their loved ones care for them, and that they do have support outside of friends they may gain in self-help groups like Alcoholics Anonymous.
How to Help a Drug Addict Recover: Tough Love
Tough love is a topic that can be controversial. However, this is necessary when it comes to being protected from the person’s detrimental behaviors. Drug and alcohol addiction not only affects the individual using the substances but their friends and family are also affected.
Setting clear and concise boundaries, and maintaining them, provides a sense of security in that the individual cannot take advantage leading to a decline in the loved one’s overall well-being.
Discussing Rehab and Detox
Helping a recovering addict often consists of them needing professional help to overcome their struggle. Rehab and detox help in this process. Having a safe and healing environment where they are encouraged to overcome addiction, with the support of addiction professionals, helps them achieve sobriety.
Recovery is a journey that often begins with addiction treatment, and detox is the first step. Discussing the different options and how they can help opens the door for them to research and make a decision. This decision could help them achieve long-term recovery.
Celebrate Success and Progress
Every day the individual can maintain sobriety if a success. This does not mean they are cured of their addiction, rather, it means that they are fighting for recovery. Addiction is a lifelong struggle, and the more time they can put between themselves and the substance, the better the odds of a lifetime free from addiction.
Drugs and alcohol lead to changes in the individual’s life. So when they can achieve a goal, or they can learn and implement healthy coping skills, celebrating these successes is crucial. It helps empower them to keep moving forward with recovery and know that they have loving support.
Encourage Professional Therapy
How to help a recovering addict includes encouraging them to stay the course. Professional therapy often helps promote long-term recovery. Addiction professionals are trained to address certain things that others cannot.
Additionally, they encourage the individual to think and feel different things. Rather than turning to substances they are encouraged to turn to their new and healthy coping skills. Through professional therapy, this individual can often learn how to live daily life without the substances. Hence they can begin on a path to true happiness.
Removing Temptation and Bad Influences
They say in recovery that you have to change people, places, and things. This is to say removing temptation and bad influences. How to help a recovering addict includes helping them avoid people and things that could contribute to relapse.
The individual must prioritize themselves, and avoid going into situations that could be detrimental. It also means a loved one should encourage them to avoid these situations. It can be difficult, especially when someone who struggles with alcohol can go into any store and be faced with their demon.
Creating a Healthy Environment
Promoting recovery is vital. Having a healthy and safe environment where they can go helps them to know they don’t need the substances to live happily. Creating a healthy environment for the individual to sustain their journey to long-term recovery is crucial.
Being able to face day-to-day struggles without turning to drugs and alcohol is an accomplishment that should be recognized. Having a healthy space for them to continue the process can make a huge difference in the outcome of their journey.
It Takes a Choice to Recover. Start Today
Addiction recovery is a long and rewarding process. When these individuals have loved ones who stand by and support them as they continue to better their lives, it can make the process even more rewarding. If you or a loved one are struggling with addiction, we can help. Extra Mile Recovery provides a safe and healing place for individuals to begin their recovery journey.
Call us today and begin realizing the benefits of professional help and support.
