Addiction and Rehab are nerve-wracking experiences for everyone, and that includes the friends and family of the addicts. Drug Addiction in Florida does not only victimize the people taking the drugs. It affects the lives of everyone that loves the addict. It is natural to want to be there to aid a loved one as much as possible during this difficult time. Here are some tips about how to be helpful and supportive during and after recovery.
Listen to Professionals
Learn the rules and expectations the program has in place. Ask how often family should be in contact with their loved one during an inpatient recovery program. Are personal letters accepted? Can gifts be sent? Determine the roles of friends and family if they are choosing outpatient services. Follow the instructions even if they are difficult.
Get Some Counseling
Family counseling through programs like Nextep is great, but everyone benefits from one-on-one therapy. Friends and family members often set aside their own needs when an addiction is at its worst. Their entire lives may have been put on hold and this is the perfect time to stop that behavior. Individual counseling sessions allow people to have a little time just for their needs. They can say what they have held in for years without guilt and learn how to begin the processes of forgiveness and healing.
Remain Cautiously Supportive
Continued support is very important after someone completes a program for Drug Addiction in Florida. Encouragement and love are beneficial to those that may be fearful about starting a whole new life. It is important to be there for them without judging, nagging or overprotecting. Of course, it is also possible for people to slip back into old roles and become enablers as well. This is why the end of a rehab program is only the beginning of the process. Stay in therapy, keep in contact with the program staff for advice and join a support group for family members affected by addiction.
Recovery is never possible until the addict is ready to make the change. However, sometimes the only way to make that happen is for their loved ones to take the first step. Visit website to see what is available and how rehabilitation helps. Feel free to contact them with any questions.
