We don’t want to take our blinders off to see that our loved one may be struggling with an alcohol or drug addiction. It can be easy to fall into traps of pretending that it is not happening or that it isn’t “that” bad. We often see the physical and psychological negative effects drugs and alcohol can cause to minimize the extent of someone’s problem, but on some level, substance abuse interferes with all aspects of an individual: social, familial, occupational, educational, and other everyday aspects of life.

How to Help Your Loved One

Finding a good balance between aiding your loved one to find, and maintain, sobriety versus falling into the familial addiction trap yourself can be difficult. So what are some ways to help your adult child if they are in active addiction?

5 Do’s and Do Not's for Parents of Addicted Adults
  1. Utilize respectful communication skills that you would with anyone else. Be blunt and assertive. Allow your child to have a voice in the matter. Set goals of compromise, trust, and understanding.
  2. Engage in support groups for yourself. Give yourself permission to explore what is going on for you emotionally with others in similar situations.
  3. Check into family counseling. Trained therapists can aid in repairing the relationship between you and your loved one. You may benefit from individual therapy for yourself in conjunction with family counseling.
  4. Be wary of scheming behaviors and false promises of change from your child. Do not give in to these blindly.
  5. Hold an intervention for your child with a trained interventionist. Encourage your loved one to understand their addiction and get help to overcome it.

Contradictions to Aiding Your Loved One in Quitting Alcohol or Drugs

  1. In the same sense that you will want to utilize effective communication skills, do not use verbal threats, nor aggression, to get what you want.
  2. Enabling behaviors are a no-go. It’s easy to believe we are helping our adult child by giving them money that they are really going to spend on their substance of choice so that we do not have to listen to complaining and so they don’t go to dangerous lengths to find the money to afford their addiction. These sorts of behaviors aid in justification on the addict’s part and move them further away from the hope of treatment.
  3. On the same token, make sure not to fall into a codependency trap. While it may be difficult to not take care of someone that is your own child, you need to make sure you are taking care of your needs and wants as well.
  4. Do not put identified triggers in front of someone struggling with addiction. Even if they have achieved a significant length of sobriety, triggers still should not be purposefully flaunted.
  5. Dishonesty can further destroy your relationship with your child. Mistrust is already a huge part of most addict’s lives.

A Family Focused Alternative Treatment Center

It is easy to fall into codependent behaviors with your child due to all the underlying emotions and denial you may be experiencing regarding the situation. Unfortunately, this enables your loved one to continue in active addiction rather than searching for help. Discovery Place of Burns, Tennessee has trained professionals standing by 24 hours a day, seven days a week to support both you and your loved one through this difficult journey. Call us today at 1-800-725-0922.

As you may well be aware after reading this, your family plays a huge role in helping your child to maintain their sobriety. Family is also affected on an expansive emotional level by opiate, alcohol, cannabis, and other substance use disorders. This requires treatment and support for you as well. Discovery Place’s family matters program can help you find the support you need to work through the emotional turbulence you have undergone during your loved one’s addiction.

Testimonials

  • Discovery Place was the answer for my son. He did the 90 day and then the step down program and sober living. We give this organization 10 stars. They met my son where he was …emotionally, mentally, physically. They helped him put his life back on track. Discovery Place employees care about their guests. If your son, brother, nephew, grandson or husband needs excellent supportive care THIS is indeed the facility.

    Kim Morton
    Alumni Parent
  • I have remained sober and it is because of DP. DP is the best place there is, hands down. I keep everyone there in my prayers, and I encourage everyone there to take what they are practicing and do it in their lives, after.

    Roy Mantelli
    Alumni
  • Over the past year, I’ve been putting into actin what Discovery Place taught me, and I have experienced a complete perspective change of the world, and the people in it. I get to be a man of service and love today, and for that I am grateful to Discovery Place.

    Matt Kassay
    Alumni
  • Discovery Place means the world to me. They showed me the tools that I’ve tried to use everyday in my life to think less often of myself, and more frequently of others. I am learning to lend a hand when I am able and to have a honest and humble relationship with God and the people around me. Not only am I clean and sober, but also I am happy and fulfilled.

    Tommy Parker
    Alumni
  • Discovery Place and the men who work there made recovery attractive, and more importantly, fun. There is strength in the struggle. I am forever grateful for my time at Discovery Place.

    Creed McClellan
    Alumni
  • When I got to Discovery Place my whole life was in shambles, but I didn’t know it. I spent 6 months in their programs, participating in all three phases, and was met with kindness and love all along the way. It is unbelievable to me, where I am now relative to where I was when I arrived at DP.

    Lance Duke
    Alumni
  • I can never say enough good things about Discovery Place and the people who work there. Before checking in to DP, I was out of options and out of answers. Fortunately, Discovery Place has a solution. Taking suggestions from the staff at DP saved my life, and as a result, I’m now more content and hopeful about life. I’m grateful for Discovery Place showing me how to live a healthy life so that I can become a better man and help the next guy.”

    Tyler Buckingham
    Alumni

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