A Guide to Helping Addicts Recover

Being in recovery is a difficult challenge for many people trying to turn their lives around, but with the help of a support network, it can be made easier when these supporters know how to help a recovering addict properly. Friends, family members, coworkers, and other people who are close to the person going through the recovery process can help by knowing what to say to a recovering alcoholic or drug abuser. Helping addicts recover is a process that few have had to go through, meaning many don’t know where to begin.

Better Addiction Care, the premier provider of resources to connect addicts to drug and alcohol treatment centers and programs around the country, knows that not knowing how to help someone you care for can be a difficult thing to deal with. In this guide, you will learn what things to do with an addict in recovery, what things to say to a recovering addict, and why these skills can be so beneficial to their recovery journey.

How to Support a Recovering Addict

The process of helping addicts recover can come in many forms. This often changes based on how the person trying to lend support knows the sufferer and how they can weave their own personal interactions and experiences with the addict into their support. The best way to help an addict change is based on a number of factors, such as their relationship with them, how long they have known them, and even which substance it is that the sufferer has found themselves dependent on. Follow these tips, and you’re sure to do a great job of helping addicts recover:

• Understand that this change must be for life. There will be high points and low points as a recovering addict. Stay supportive every step of the way.
• Mistakes are part of the process. We are all human, meaning that challenges are bound to have issues. In this case, a relapse is a reason to heighten support, not take it away.
• Do not forget to take care of yourself, too. When helping addicts recover, it can be natural to begin a habit of letting yourself go down a worse path. Do not let this happen. You are every bit as important as the person in recovery and should care for yourself accordingly.
• Keep in mind that there is still so much to learn about substance abuse. As new information is released, keep up to date and adjust your methods of support accordingly.
• Complete regular check-ins and keep an eye out for any sign that the user is being dishonest or has been using. Do not be confrontational, but be supportive and offer your insight and advice from times when you have been down.
• Encourage healthy habits as a new lifestyle choice as opposed to drinking or substance abuse. Becoming a part of their new habits yourself can make the two of you more connected and healthier together.

Following these tips will make your role as a supporter in someone’s recovery more effective and is sure to prove to be a benefit in their journey. But why is learning how to speak, listen, learn from, and love a recovering addict so important for their journey of recovery?

Why Helping an Addict Recover Can Make a Difference

Helping addicts recover is not just a way to assist someone who may have fallen victim to temptation and dependence on alcohol or illicit substances. It can also reconnect you with someone who you may have a strained relationship with due to their drug use.

Sobriety comes with many benefits, such as mental wellness, physical health, and repairing old relationships which may have fallen victim to the separation that can happen due to drug or alcohol abuse. Supporting a recovering alcoholic or drug abuser shows them that they can change and that others are interested and hoping for it. That hope could be the driving factor that makes those changes stick and changes their lives for the better.

The first step of any recovery is to admit the issue, and the second is to get the proper assistance from a team of trained professional providers of addiction treatment. This team should fit your needs and is in your area. Recovery should feel tailor-fit and convenient to ensure that the process does not seem like a burden but rather like an improvement.

Find National Drug Abuse Treatment or Alcoholism Programs 

If you are seeking a drug addiction or alcoholism treatment program for yourself or for someone you love, be sure to use the free resources offered by the team at Better Addiction Care and get connected to a treatment facility you’ll love. Use our free online national directory of drug and alcohol abuse treatment facilities and start your treatment journey as someone seeking recovery who has weighed their options.

If you are interested in reading more insights such as these, be sure to read some of our other articles. Get information directly from people you can trust to provide professional insight. Feel free to reach out to our team and inquire about how our free resources could help connect you to a treatment team that fits your exact needs and requirements. We pride ourselves on our ability to help addicts recover. Every person assisted is one person closer to a happier and more fulfilled life.