While there isn’t much anyone can do to “cure” an addict, there are two (2) things people can do for their addicted loved one: 1) Learn to say no; and, 2) Seek to become the best version of themselves that they can.
Learn to say no
The reason saying no is so important is because as long as someone provides money or rides or anything that allows an addiction to remain unchallenged, the addiction will continue (and probably grow). I’ve met and worked with literally hundreds of people wo truly believe they are being supportive and loving by giving a person who’s in the addiction cycle money. But the painful reality is that for an active addict who has no interest in recovery, money is going towards their addicted lifestyle in some way, shape, or form. Like anything else, an addiction must be challenged and must suffocate in order for the person to finally seek recovery. But if someone allows the person to remain addicted with no challenges, he or she might as well be addicted to the same substance.
Become the best version of themselves
The second thing that people MUST do to help an addict is to become the star of their own show. That is, people close to an addict tend to make the addict the focal point of their lives. This, too, allows an addition to persist because an addict (any addict) is manipulative and will take advantage of people’s fear and desperation. However, if a person finds a way to improve his or her own life, then the fear and guilt may diminish.
You see, an addict that doesn’t want recovery will use, regardless of what people around the addict do or say. For example, if an addict’s brother who was the addict’s “primary support” starts working out and going to school, then the addict won’t be the priority he or she once was. By not being a priority, the addict loses manipulation capital and the addiction loses resources. Plus, the brother will become healthier and set a positive example for growth.
But, even though I’ve shared these two (2) things quite often, most still won’t attempt them. Sometimes I can’t help but wonder if people around the addict NEED the addict to remain addicted. In spite of their apparent fear and desperation, perhaps they’re projecting their own limited self-worth onto the addict in their lives. It’s like they may be saying, “As long as she is addicted, there’s no way I can lose weight,” but they probably wouldn’t try to lose weight, otherwise, they would do it whether or not their loved one is addicted. Who knows? All I can say is that family and friends of addicts tend to be just as stubborn in their behavior as the addicts. I’ll keep on teaching these (and other) thigns in the hopes that people learn; maybe someday I’ll make headway.
