Opioid abuse is a significant health concern in the United States. If you are a loved one or friend of someone using opioids and believe they are abusing the drug, then you are probably searching for answers. Your concerns are not unfounded, as more people die from opioid abuse than in vehicle accidents. Finding help for a substance abuser is, first and foremost, the most important action to take. When they move through recovery, your support and compassion will be a lifeline, making your role a vital part of their recovery.
Understanding Opioid Abuse
Most people with an addiction to opioids do not start with the intention of becoming addicted, least of all to a medication prescribed to relieve pain. Understanding why someone takes more and more painkillers each day is perplexing, and you may be experiencing feelings of helplessness.
Your loved one may wrongly increase their prescribed dosage of an opioid due to solid and irresistible impulses. Opioids are highly addictive because they trigger the release of endorphins which mask your perspective of pain. They often bring temporary feelings of bliss. Consequently, the abuser continuously requires larger doses to reach a false sense of well-being.
Of course, some people use opioids to get high, plain and straightforward. No matter how our friends and loved ones succumbed to substance abuse, we want to help if we can.
Communication to Show Your Support
Once you have observed someone and believe they are abusing opioids, you can try opening a dialog with them. It is of utmost importance to preserve their dignity by making your conversation with them a private one. If you are addressing a loved one or friend, they probably already have your trust, and you must be mindful of maintaining that trust throughout their subsequent recovery if and when they agree to enter treatment.
Using compassion when expressing your feelings about your loved one’s actions is essential, but you should also be direct and to the point. After conveying your concerns, you must listen and use an open mind. You may think you know all about this person, but you may be surprised by their story, so be careful not to judge. Remember, you want to help, and judgment is not conducive to a positive response or action.
Hopefully, your loved one will be receptive to your offer of help, and if so, you can then provide information for treatment or offer to help research options. Express the need for prompt action by presenting the probability of a higher quality of life without dependence on drugs.
Showing Your Support Throughout Recovery
The best way to show your support for your loved one is to show up, not just at the beginning but through the entire journey. You are not responsible for anything other than your love and loyalty to this person, but your consistency in being there will provide security and foster hope.
Trying to keep your loved one motivated while in recovery can be challenging. Here are a few suggestions that might help you both get through the rough days:
- Get some exercise. Go for a long walk together.
- Go hiking or camping together. Changing one’s surroundings lifts the spirit.
- Provide an ear when your loved one needs to vent or reflect. Voicing one’s thoughts is therapeutic.
- Ask first whether or not they need your assistance or advice. Sometimes they just want your company.
Peer Support
People sharing similar experiences with substance abuse can be invaluable to recovery. Peer support is integral in providing understanding to another person who has been through the same thing. Talking with another person also in recovery affords each individual a sense of acceptance, validation, and inspiration.
Peer support can come from others in treatment and recovery. Treatment facilities and programs usually offer help in the form of peer support workers. They provide similar support to family and friends but with the added knowledge and experience of someone who has walked in the same shoes. These workers can provide insight and build self-confidence while helping develop goals for their peers in recovery.
By breaking down those barriers associated with understanding, a peer support worker may be more successful at helping those in recovery find their path. Sometimes, neither loved ones nor treatment professionals successfully communicate with a person in recovery. A peer support worker may be the most effective lifeline in those cases.
Don’t Give Up
If you have had a conversation with your loved one about their opioid abuse, and they remain in denial and refuse your advice or offer of help, try again, multiple times if necessary. Consider asking another family member or close friend to talk with your loved one. When those efforts are exhausted, try reaching out to a national or local support group to assist you in your quest to help your loved one.
Supporting your loved ones through opioid addiction can be overwhelming. You want to be caring and compassionate but also want to ensure they get the help they need. There is only so much within your control. Here at Destiny Recovery Center, we pride ourselves on our multi-level treatment program. We take an individualized approach to care so that each client is treated uniquely for their situation. We also focus heavily on family involvement and support. By having the family play a major role during treatment, the client has that constant level of support from the beginning of treatment through the rest of their recovery. Call us at (909) 413-4304 to get started.