By Emma 
It’s common for an addict to isolate himself from the family or friends and any social gatherings. Because of that, the person generally feels lost and loses the skill to communicate his feelings effectively or share that he is suffering.
People in his family too would be under a shock and therefore, they too don’t communicate too much and hence, it becomes a vicious circle of poor communication.
Changing the way you interact or communicate with someone who has an addiction helps you in showing them that you care while also help them to a large extent in overcoming their challenges.
But if the family members do not know how and what to talk to the person who is suffering from an addiction and when should they seek help for him, then the problem would spiral up.
In that case, it is advisable for the family to meet some experts in this field and learn about the right way of communication and what is the help required to find a suitable treatment for the addicted person.
When to talk and what to do?
Having said that, there are other things you should remember while communicating with the person who is addicted:
- The best time to speak to such a person is in the morning as that person would be feeling sober and might be in remorse.
- You should share how you feel and experience because of this person’s addiction and change of behavior or lifestyle.
- Ask politely if he needs professional guidance to meet an addiction counsellor who can motivate him to start some treatment like medication assisted treatment or a rehabilitation centre.
- Once the person starts treatment or joins a rehab centre, then through discussions, sharing, writing or journaling, meditation, and other such alternate therapies or appropriate therapeutic modalities would aid him in understanding himself, enhance his self-awareness and reach a stage where he doesn’t need any addiction.
It is important to note that when the addicted person begins treatment and starts on the path to addiction recovery, they are not the only person who gets help. The family has to also get counseling support from a family therapist to help them deal with what is happening.
It is very essential that they realize that they are alone responsible for their feelings and emotions and therefore, they should not be emotionally dependent on the individual who is suffering from the addiction.
Important Points to Remember
Some things that every family member should always keep in mind while communicating with a person who has an addiction are:
- Always be patient and kind to someone suffering from an addiction
- Be a good listener and talk less
- Be consistent; don’t overdo anything
- Always show unconditional love and care through your words and gestures
- Support his process or journey of transformation
- Let him do things his own way; just try to be there
- Seek professional help or find good rehabilitation centres where you could get help
- Create limits or boundaries so that the person who is suffering doesn’t take you for granted
Communication Post the Treatment
Communicating in the right way with the person after he returns home after completing the treatment is also very important. It is also important to remember that it takes time to acknowledge this sudden shift and accept the person who is trying to change himself and his habits.
It’s also important for them not to look at the addict who is now changing and recovering with “old eyes” or bring in any past blames, situations or anger.
However, this is only possible when the spouse, children or other family members are willing to change themselves too as much as they want the person who has an addiction to change.
Re-building these relationships is not easy, hence, professional counselors in rehab centers can help with family interventions and train the family to be compassionate and patient.
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