How to Help a Loved One Struggling With Opiates
Being a drug treatment facility in New Hampshire, we have had the privilege of seeing many patients come and go as sober individuals, but in the process, we witnessed many families going through distress. With full understanding, these families have had to come to terms with their loved one struggling with drugs, or alcohol; for many, struggling with opioids. Experiencing a loved one with an addiction to such substances can be difficult, too challenging to put into words at times. For everyone involved in helping their loved one, we have a few tips that could be helpful with getting them help.
Enabling Doesn’t Benefit Them
We’ve brought up enabling in an earlier blog, on how making excuses for their actions and behavior only pulls you closer and closer into their lifestyle rather than you helping them out of their habits. Enabling examples such as giving them money to help with gas, bills, food, or maybe even supporting their addictions, allowing them to live rent-free within your home, allowing them to borrow your car, these are all ways you can be taken advantage of ultimately keep their addiction. It is easy to confuse helping and enabling when it comes to a loved with struggling with addiction.
Find Access to Narcan
Unlike many drugs, heroin is one of a kind and possibly the hardest habit to quit. Even for a heroin addict that is successful in their sobriety, relapses are very common. For such instances, as a family member, friend, or loved one, you want to be prepared in the event of a possible overdose. Narcan is a life-saving drug that reverses the effects of opiates, reviving a person amid an overdose and going into respiratory failure. You can find Narcan, also known as Naloxone, can be located in most local pharmacies.
Know the Signs of Relapse
Knowing the signs of relapse before it happens can be the difference between life and death. The quicker you can pick up on these signs, the sooner you can help your loved one seek the medical treatment needed to get them back on the path to sobriety. Changes in mood are common in early recovery, but you should always be on the lookout for things like isolation, hanging out with old friends, and changes in sleeping patterns. Being educated on signs of relapse could help to save your loved one’s life.
Be Prepared for the Withdrawal Process
Depending on the circumstances, how long your loved one has been using, what they are using, how much they have been using, as well as their overall health you should be aware of the physical and mental stages of the withdrawal process from heroin. For each person, withdrawals are very different. Heroin has a powerful and negative impact on the body and can be extremely destructive. Being prepared for how their body may respond to these withdrawals can help you understand their struggles and seek medical assistance if necessary. If your loved one begins withdrawing (or complains of being “dope sick,”) GH Recovery Solutions can help them get into a medical detox program. Usually, those struggling with addiction don’t just stick to one substance, and withdrawals from alcohol or benzos can be potentially fatal.
Seek Professional Help
With so many factors that come into play, when it comes to yours or your loved one’s health dealing with heroin addiction and detoxing, it is strongly advised to seek medical guidance at hospital or drug treatment facility. Working with professionals in the field can safely and comfortably help them through the discomfort and dangers of withdrawing. Entering a substance abuse treatment program can guide them through treatment to further prevent them from falling back into their addictions.
Although you can not force someone to seek help, you can be their support and guidance so when they do come to terms with their addiction, you have the knowledge and access to the steps needed to be taken. Finding the right addiction treatment facility for them to help with their heroin addiction can be overwhelming, but here at GH Recovery Solutions, our admissions team can assist you, and your loved ones find the best treatment available to you.
If you have any questions on how to help yourself or a loved one struggling with heroin addiction, contact us here at GH Recovery Solutions. We are available to you 24/7! Call us today (888) 345-2025