06/19/2013– There Is Always A Second Chance When Treating Drug Addiction

Addiction is one of the most difficult things to understand, especially from the perspective of the addict. Let's talk about addiction from the perspective of the family.

For a caring family member, the multitudes of questions can be overwhelming:

COMMENTS

Is it possible to fix an addict? How long does it take? If it didn't work the first time, then they don't genuinely want treatment, do they? How do I know if they're telling me the truth when they say they “want to get better?” What can I do to make them see the problem and fix it? Why do they fail to acknowledge or notice my help?

Certainly, there is a lot to talk about. Chances are there are more questions than answers when assessing these situations. I will tackle the ones I've listed here. The short answers are:

No, you cannot “fix” them yourself. Also, recovery duration varies from one addict to the next. They may want treatment, but it is important to understand that sobering up “for good” is quite a daunting task. You can't know whether or not their will to recover is genuine or honest, but you can still support their efforts when possible. To help them see and fix the problem, you can advise them to seek treatment. And finally, they don’t acknowledge your help sometimes because they generally deny that they are addicted in the first place.

Those are the short answers to the questions above. But we can still expand upon those answers. First off, addicts don't get "fixed." Addiction is a disease. Let's use an analogy. If you have cancer, it can be treated, and the cancer can be removed. But is it gone forever? There is no guarantee. Addiction is similar in that an addict can be in good recovery for years, and then takes one drink, or one pill, or one hit of marijuana, and they are drawn back in. Some aren't of course, and that reinforces their conviction that they aren't addicts. An addict can recover, but as often said, "I can be a thousand drinks from my last relapse, but I'm only one away from my next." Some people recover quickly. Others take decades. There is no fixed time for recovery. The determination and desire of the addict, along with the program they follow and the post-treatment support all factor into the equation. Be patient. Have faith.

Why should it work the next time if it didn't work the last? Isn't insanity doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results? Recovery is a series of periods of sobriety and recovery, peppered with periods of relapses. The objective is to lengthen the recovery time and shorten the relapse periods until the relapses are the only thing left.

How do you know if they are telling you the truth? You don't. You never will, except in retrospect. You can listen, support with encouragement, and let them know how comfortable you are with the knowledge that they'll do the right thing. If they mean it, they will get help. If not, then you must accept that you did what you could.

What can you do to make them see the problem and fix it? You might need to arrange an intervention with other family and loved ones; people respected by the addict also help, and through your collective words and actions, open their eyes. To do this properly, a qualified intervention specialist should be consulted in advance.

Where there is life, there is hope. Don't give up, don't give in. In time, the individual suffering from drug addiction will hopefully realize that you are a genuine caring friend or family member. If you are persistent and patient (more patient then them), then your help will be acknowledged and justly rectified.