How to Help a Friend Deal With Alcohol and Drug Abuse?

Though drug and alcohol abuse may often be a choice, addiction is not a choice. When a friend is dealing with addiction, it can be a difficult and scary time for that person. It can also be a scary and frustrating time for you as a friend. Learn more about addiction so you can help a friend. How to help a friend deal with alcohol and drug abuse? Follow These 5 Tips .

1. Acknowledge the problem

Your friend must acknowledge that using drugs is in fact a problem. Without acknowledging that a problem exists, there will never be a solution. Depending on the stage of drug use–experimental, social, habitual, dependent–your friend may not see a problem at all. This is where you must define the problem(s) for your friend.

2. Decide to stop using drugs

Your friend must decide to stop using drugs. Only he/she can do that. People are motivated by either pleasure or pain. Determining which is the motivator for your friend will help narrow the focus of effort. Cause pain if your friend uses drugs, try to give pleasure to him/her.

3. Get help

Heavy drug use requires professional help to stop initially, and for the long term. You can help by taking them to a clinic or a professional; help them change their environment to get rid of the temptation.

4. Support your friend

Let your friend know (by word and deed) that you are there for support. Help your friend remained focused on the positive goals that don’t include drugs. Reinforce your friend’s good behaviors without drugs. Don’t abandon your friend when they slip up.

5. It’s a process

If you are trying to help a friend stop taking harmful or illegal drugs, then you have taken the first step; being a true friend! However, that is probably the easiest part of the process. The rest may prove to be more difficult than you could imagine, possibly even causing you to challenge your own belief system.