7 tips for supporting someone recovering from addiction

When someone faces a substance use crisis, several national helplines offer free, confidential support around the clock. Our resources are updated regularly but please keep in mind that links, programs, policies, and contact information do change. Regular exercise, adequate sleep, and healthy eating habits help you keep your energy levels up and your stress levels down. The more you can stay healthy and feel good, the easier it will be to stay sober. Having goals to work toward and something to look forward to can be powerful antidotes to drug addiction.

How to Recover From Porn Addiction & Manage Withdrawal

Self-help support groups, such as Narcotics Anonymous, help people who are addicted to drugs. Withdrawal from different categories of drugs — such as depressants, stimulants or opioids — produces different side effects and requires different approaches. Detox may involve gradually reducing the dose of the drug how to help with addiction or temporarily substituting other substances, such as methadone, buprenorphine, or a combination of buprenorphine and naloxone. The goal of detoxification, also called “detox” or withdrawal therapy, is to enable you to stop taking the addicting drug as quickly and safely as possible. For some people, it may be safe to undergo withdrawal therapy on an outpatient basis.

How long does addiction treatment last?

• Residential treatment at an addiction rehabilitation facility or medical inpatient care is rarely necessary, and only a small percentage of substance users seek out or require such treatment.
• Keep this list accessible so you’re never facing challenging moments alone.
• Many people find that joining a support group can help them stay clean.
• Motivational enhancement is conducted over a short period of time to build and strengthen motivation to change drinking behavior.
• Your treatment depends on the drug used and any related medical or mental health disorders you may have.
• This guide is written for individuals—and their family and friends—who are looking for options to address alcohol problems.

These groups provide emotional support and practical advice for maintaining sobriety. Recognizing that you need help—or encouraging a loved one to seek it—is the first step toward a brighter future. Anonymity is important in this group, so members are free to work on their sobriety without fear of being revealed in the greater community. In-person meetings are held all over the U.S. and some are now online. You also can check the AA website, Narcotics Anonymous (NA), or Cocaine Anonymous (CA) to find meetings and learn more about the groups. Every state provides funds for addiction services for the uninsured.

Medicine as part of treatment

• Taking care of your own physical, emotional and mental needs first will make you better equipped to help your loved one through the difficult journey of recovery.
• But cravings don’t last forever, and they tend to lessen in intensity over time.
• For many people in recovery, something as simple as driving past a certain neighborhood or hearing a particular song can bring those urges rushing back.
• The VA health care system offers comprehensive SUD treatment, recognizing that many veterans struggle with alcohol, tobacco, street drugs, and prescription medication misuse.
• Sometimes a direct, heart-to-heart conversation can start the road to recovery.

The Alcoholics Anonymous evidence suggests that the free and flexible assistance provided by mutual-support groups can help people make and sustain beneficial changes and, thus, promote recovery. If they refuse to seek help or they begin using again, let them know what boundaries you will set on your relationship as long as they continue to use. It’s possible they will need to “hit bottom” before they are willing to change or ask for help. You may need to cut off contact in order to maintain your own emotional well-being.

What Is an Intervention?

Because stopping substance use typically ushers in a period of acute and often all-consuming distress that subsides in days or weeks, treatment is generally divided into to two distinct periods. Care during the acute phase addresses the physiologic effects of stopping a biologically active chemical. After you’ve acknowledged your problem gambling, Sternlicht recommends confiding in a friend or loved one. “If you feel overwhelmed or otherwise unable to seek out professional help, ask your loved one if they can assist you in the process,” she says. Your loved one may express anger or rationalize their drug use and deny that it’s a problem.