Supporting a Loved One in Recovery

Addiction recovery is a journey with a lot of ups and downs. People fighting addiction disease need to know they have the support of those most important to them. They will likely make major strides with this in mind because they can feel the love and value. So how can family support come in?

Importance of Support

Before we look at the different ways family can support, it helps to appreciate the significance of this support. The success of an addict's recovery journey highly depends on the support they get from those they consider important. This is because addiction causes many changes in the brain, affecting both the structural and functional bits of the brain. 

It is therefore important that when a family member understands the journey, the recovering addict has been through; they try not to trigger them by recounting their past. This is where family comes in strongly since they appreciate the progress made and can hold your hand to success. They can do this in the following ways:

Offering a Listening Ear

Before doing anything else, you ought to listen to the recovering addict. In case they feel frustrated or want to vent, be the family member that is ready and willing to be there. This alone is enough in most cases. It helps the patient unburden and focus on the journey ahead instead of piling up the stress and pressure of the journey.

Availability is Key

There are times when the recovering addict will need you to be physically present. Make sure you are available in some way. They may need support with certain things, and only you can be of help, so make sure you can be reached via phone when needed.

Understand More about Recovery and Addiction

You are likely to be of much help if you know what you are dealing with. Once you understand what this disease is about, chances are that you can offer the correct type of support to your loved one's needs. In addition, you will be better positioned not to judge if you understand that this is a disease like no other. Finally, equipping yourself with information also helps you treat the recovering addict with more compassion.

You can Support Healthier Choices.

You can be the one that encourages the recovering addict to eat healthier and exercise more. Such activities can help with this journey. Make sure you remind them if they seem to slacken and be there to cheer them on.

Manage your Expectation

Just because someone has decided to start their recovery journey does not mean it will happen over time. Most of them need time to adjust and reset. This means you must exercise lots of patience and keep your expectations minimal. The last thing you want is to be disappointed when things fail to work out.

With the right support, recovering addicts can make a remarkable recovery. Recommend great rehabs if needed. So be sure to watch out for that always. Remember that your assurance will go a long way.