Substance abuse hurts all involved, from the person with the addiction or dependence issue to their friends and family. As a result, the loved ones of a person in recovery are bound to experience a complicated mix of emotions.
People in recovery must have support, as a strong social network is an indicator of success when overcoming addiction. Accordingly, your communication approach is key when talking to a loved one in recovery. Here are some helpful tips.
Constructive Ways to Connect With Your Loved One
The goal of communication should be expressing love and support in a way that benefits the person in recovery. For instance, you should praise them when they achieve milestones and make advances in their treatment process. While these goals may seem minor to you, they’re incredibly important to your loved one.
People in recovery may also have setbacks. Boundary setting is important, for both you and your loved one, but that doesn’t mean you can’t offer words of encouragement. When it comes to a relapse, highlighting the fact that it’s a common part of the recovery process can be reassuring. That way, your loved one will feel motivated to pick themselves up and try again, as opposed to feeling defeated.
Statements to Avoid When Speaking With Someone in Recovery
Love and support are an important aspect of recovery success. As a result, friends and family of people in recovery should avoid the following statements:
- Quitting cold turkey is the only way to overcome addiction.
- You don’t look like a drug addict at all!
- People who use methadone haven’t really recovered from substance abuse.
- Alcoholics need to learn how to drink in moderation.
- Addicts are selfish and they lack the discipline to quit using drugs.
- People with substance abuse problems have addictive personalities by nature.
Keep in mind that every addiction recovery journey is different. If you’re not sure how to proceed, you can ask your loved one what they prefer.
Supporting Families Throughout Albuquerque
Duke City Recovery Toolbox offers people struggling with addiction a lifeline when they need it most. We also support the loved ones of our patients with family therapy and psychoeducation services.
