It’s never easy to cope when one of your family members is dealing with an addiction, whether that person is addicted to alcohol, illegal drugs or prescription drugs. Of course, there are a host of other types of addictions that don’t include chemicals, such as technology addictions and sexual addictions. Regardless, you need help and you need a source of support. What do you do? It’s never easy to cope when one of your family members is dealing with an addiction, whether that person is addicted to alcohol, illegal drugs or prescription drugs. Of course, there are a host of other types of addictions that don’t include chemicals, such as technology addictions and sexual addictions. Regardless, you need help and you need a source of support. What do you do? We’d like to help you by offering you a few solutions. There are many places you can turn to find the help you need, although you might not be aware of some of them.
Trusted Friends and Family Members
A word of caution is needed with this first solution because the last thing you want to do is cause strife within your home. You should also take into consideration which family member it is that has the addiction. A trusted friend or family member who can provide you with a listening ear that’s free of judgment can be an excellent source of support for you. Be careful to choose only one or two people that you can trust to keep the information to themselves.
Support Groups
There are many different types of support groups available for family members of addicts, and this is a great place for you to find the help you need. These are people who are all struggling with the same issues you have, and there’s a lot of comfort in simply knowing that you’re not alone. Al-Anon and Nar-Anon are both great options that can provide you with the insight and knowledge you need.
Your Church Family
If you’re a part of a church congregation, you probably know some people there who can offer you support. Addiction isn’t talked about often in church, but there are addicts and families of addicts everywhere, even in your congregation. Your pastor can also be a wonderful person to look to for help.
Therapists
Considering all that you’ve been through and the anxiety you’ve probably faced because of your loved one’s addiction, it’s not surprising to hear that you could benefit from some therapy of your own. A professional therapist is trained to listen to your concerns and he or she will often have some ideas that you can try to relieve your stress. This is an excellent place to find the support you need.
Written Resources
A trip to a bookstore can also be a great way to find support. So many books have been written on this subject, and the experts have a lot to say about what you’re going through. You’ll find their insight to be incredibly valuable for your situation, and you’ll learn coping skills that have worked well for others in the past. What you’re going through is very difficult, to be sure. Help is available for your family member, and he or she doesn’t have to remain a slave to addiction. If you would like more information about our services, please contact us.