Five Tips for Loving Someone Struggling With Addiction

For many dealing with an addiction, the effects of their behavior often don’t stop at their personal boundaries. Usually, the people that love them the most feel the side effects of their situation just as much, if not more, than the person in question. They think they can still save the person from these self-destructive behaviors and stay for longer than they would otherwise.

Loving someone suffering from a crippling addiction can prove incredibly challenging. It can lead to neglecting your needs, prioritizing theirs, and a toxic relationship that doesn’t do either of you any good. It becomes vital to figure out how to navigate loving someone struggling with addiction while taking care of yourself and providing them with the support structure they need if and when they decide to admit themselves into an addiction treatment center. Here are five essential tips you should keep in mind.

Know and Respect Your Boundaries

People suffering from addiction often become so focused on the high they’re chasing that everything around becomes secondary. Chief among these considerations are the boundaries between them and their loved ones. Often, they will push on these boundaries to see how much they can get away with and what types of behavior are acceptable.

You will continue to watch your mental health suffer if you continue to let them push these limits and disrespect your boundaries. Prioritizing your mental health and self-care rituals can help you keep an open mind and provide the support your loved needs moving forward.

Be Honest About the Situation

Whether it’s a familial or romantic partner, honesty about the nature of the relationship with someone struggling with addiction helps both parties understand their current circumstances and whether the dynamic needs to change. Staying honest and truthful with your loved one and making the necessary changes — no matter how difficult or uncomfortable the conversation — can give you a world of good.

Know Where You Can Turn for Support

Finding the necessary support for a loved one fighting an addiction can help them get the help they need, but what about support for your needs? Loving someone fighting their addiction can lead to a long list of issues for people prioritizing their loved needs over their own. Finding a support group that helps keep you grounded and focused on your needs can help you take steps in the right direction.

Finding a support group for families who are actively going through similar situations and those who have come out the other side can provide you with vital insights into your current situation that you may not have gotten otherwise. Hearing stories from others with shared life experiences helps you view your relationship with your loved one in a new light.

Don’t Be Afraid of Vulnerability

Many people can see opening up about their feelings in a particular situation to someone they love dearly can become a difficult prospect. You don’t want to show signs of perceived weakness or feel shame in your current relationship. Whether the person you love feels remorse about their addiction or you have begun to feel responsible for not doing enough, bottling these emotions inside can backfire further down the line.

Being open and honest about your feelings can potentially help your loved ones decide to fight their addictions. It’s rarely a straight line, and you may need the help of an extended care facility with their recovery, but it is still possible.

Taking Everything One Step at a Time

Loving someone struggling with substance use disorders and addiction can often seem like an uphill battle. You want to do whatever you can to help them with their condition, but you may not know where to draw the line. Knowing how to navigate these delicate situations without alienating your loved one or doing irreparable harm to your relationship can prove difficult. However, every journey starts with a single step.

Approaching your loved one’s road to recovery starts with focusing on their unique needs and situation. With the help of an extended care facility in Levittown, PA, like Steps to Recovery, you can begin the journey towards helping with your loved one’s addiction. Contact our team to learn more about our long-term treatment services and how we can help today!