You are likely aware of the opioid epidemic in and around the Tucson, Arizona area. If you aren’t the person abusing these medications, chances are you know someone who is an addict.
Unfortunately, loving someone who has an active addiction isn’t easy. You may feel anxiety or resentment over their behavior. You don’t want to cut this person out of your life, but you aren’t sure how to help them.
We are going to give you some insights into the things you should know as the loved one of an addict and how to help without losing your mind. Keep reading for more information!
It’s Not Your Fault
Regardless of your relationship with the addicted person you love, you may feel a slight level of guilt. This may stem from feeling like you didn’t do enough or wondering if you are enabling the behavior.
The truth is an addict makes a choice to try a drug. After a period of use, they lose the power of choice and must have it in order to function. There is no amount of love or money in the world that can make an addict stay clean if they aren’t ready to do so.
You should also remember that addicts are manipulative people when they are fiending for their drug of choice. This means that they may lie to you with promises of getting clean, only to turn around and pick the drugs back up. You can’t control their decisions; you can only control your reaction to them.
Healthy Boundaries and Loving an Addict from Afar
As someone who loves an addict, you’ll inevitably get tired of being lied to, manipulated, or stolen from. In order to stop this behavior, you’ll need to set healthy boundaries.
These boundaries may include a requirement that your loved one remain sober while in your presence or attend a rehab facility in the Tucson area. When setting these boundaries, you must use “if” and “then” statements.
For example, “if you return to my house high, then I will ask you to leave. Should you choose to remain, I will call the cops.”
Once you have set these boundaries, you must follow through with them. If you fail to do so, it simply confirms to the addicted mind that you’re not serious. This gives him or her the green light to continue manipulating you. This continued behavior without consequence will eventually affect your mental health.
When your healthy boundaries are broken, you are often left with no choice but to walk away from the relationship. This doesn’t mean that you must completely abandon your loved one; instead, you will have to love them from afar until their behavior changes.
Early Recovery and Relapse
Even if your loved one decides to go to rehab or get clean, you should be wary of relapse. Not everyone relapses, but it is possible any time someone has an addiction, especially when in early recovery. Should this be the case, you can offer help or continue loving this person from afar.
Finally, you must remember that your loved one’s addiction didn’t happen overnight; it developed over a number of months or years. The same can be said for recovery. It takes time for the addict to adjust to a clean life and it will take time for you to learn to trust them again. Don’t feel bad for being leery of a newly clean and sober person!