What Are The Dos And Don'ts For Parents Of A Child Struggling With Addiction?

As a parent, confronting an adult child about their substance use is difficult regardless of their age. You may feel helpless to intervene because you think they are mature enough to make their own choices, or you believe disciplining them will have little effect. 

These doubts don't negate your parental duty to safeguard your children when in danger. This article will share ways to help your children heal and a few typical mistakes to avoid. 

How Can I Assist a Loved One Struggling With Addiction? 

Avoid ignoring the issue or making excuses. 

There's a fine line between helping and enabling. It's tempting to pretend your child is not using drugs or alcohol to avoid condemnation. However, doing so only reinforces their perception that they don't need help. If not treated, addiction will negatively affect their physical and emotional health, finances, relationships, and sense of self. 

Set boundaries and encourage open communication. 

To bounce back as a family, you'll need to talk to your son or daughter about how their actions affect everyone. It would help if you conveyed your worries and your future expectations throughout this chat. Talking about these subjects can be uncomfortable at first, but it will enhance your relationship with your loved one and allow both of you to begin healing. 

Don't criticize your child's choices. 

While people choose to drink alcohol or take drugs, no one decides to become addicted. Alcohol and drugs hijack the brain and change a person's personality. Addiction is likely to make your loved one feel hopeless or trapped. Saying something like "I never taught you to behave this way" would only exacerbate their emotions of humiliation, defensiveness, and isolation. 

Address the problems with their behavior, not their personal qualities. 

It's perfectly acceptable to express how your child's actions affect you but judging them will not help heal your strained family relations. "I worry about your safety when I see you out late at night" is an example of how you should talk to them. Listen to them and try to understand your loved one's point of view. 

It's crucial to avoid lending them money frequently. 

You may want to help your loved ones financially when they are most vulnerable, but you don't know where they would be spending your money. If you keep giving your child money, they may become dependent on you and lose the incentive to get help for their addiction. If they don't have money, they're more likely to reflect on their actions and seek recovery, creating essential values like honesty, accountability, and hard work. 

Find out whether they need any help in seeking support services for themselves. 

Starting with you, your loved ones will require emotional support during their recovery. Sitting with them and researching alternative treatment programs to determine which solutions best suit their unique needs is one way you can support them. Their recovery network should include support groups where they can meet others whose lives have been damaged by addiction, in addition to the encouragement of their family and friends. 

Don't smother your loved one. 

Despite your best intentions to make their life simpler, completing basic tasks for your son or daughter and doting on them in other ways can impede their progress. They may come to believe that they are incapable of doing anything on their own and hence refrain from making efforts to improve themselves. Likewise, if you keep bringing up your loved one's addiction, you can be suffocating them, leading to more stress and anger. 

Invest in your rehabilitation. 

Supporting a loved one's rehabilitation is crucial, but so is self-care. Spend time with good influences and engage in activities that bring you delight. You will be able to experience your parallel healing process by participating in family rehabilitation services and workshops. You can also join family support organizations, like Al-Anon or Nar-Anon, where you can meet other parents dealing with their children's addictions and learn how to help your loved one heal. 

Addiction knows no age boundaries, and many people develop substance use issues later in life. Fortunately, even if your child falls into this category, there is still time for them to change their life around. Even though you wish to protect your child from their inner demons, they must be able to make their own decisions. Nonetheless, as someone who has known and cared for them for their whole lives, you can assist them in becoming the best version of themselves. 

Don’t Lose Hope – Drug And Alcohol Addiction Is Treatable 

It's crucial to remember that there is hope as long as there is life. Hope is always present; all one has to do is look for it. Even if your child isn't ready for therapy right now, believing in their ability to recover and providing support, encouragement, and love can help tear down obstacles to seeking help. Holding on to hope can help your child stay positive, which will help them recover more quickly. 

While you may be struggling with many emotions as a parent of a child with a substance use disorder, recognize that, despite any difficulties, assistance is always available. All you need to do is reach out to the best treatment center for them. At DetoxNearMe.com, we are here to assist you in finding the treatment center that fits your child's needs. Contact DetoxNearMe.com today to learn about the help that exists and discover what options are available for your loved one battling addiction.