How to Love an Addict without Enabling

An addiction to opioids such as heroin, oxycodone, Percocet, or codeine can happen to anyone, even those without a prior history of drug use. Some opioid addictions can start with a medical issue or surgery that leaves an individual in a significant amount of pain. They may turn to painkillers such as oxycodone or Percocet as a way of managing their pain and find themselves obsessively addicted to using the pain pills that they were taking.

 

Of course, others may have a history of opioid addiction and abuse or may have simply turned to opioids as a way of coping with depression or for recreational purposes. Regardless of the way in which a person has turned to opioids, coping with a loved one who is using and abusing opioids can be challenging, particularly if they are a spouse or direct family member. After all, using opioids can be detrimental to a person’s health, their status in the family, extensive usage of money, and can even turn them towards violent behavior.

Opioid Addiction Treatment

Opioid rehab programs can be a useful way to get some people off opioids, though the effectiveness of these programs can fluctuate widely. When a person is in continued pain post-surgery, a person may have to walk a fine line between helping a loved one with managing their pain and getting them off of the pain pills and opioids without enabling further drug usage.

How to Love an Addict Without Enabling

There are numerous ways to help a person going through these addictions without the common missteps of enabling a drug addict. To start with you shouldn’t dismiss their pain or tell them that they can toughen their way through it. In many circumstances, the pain that they may be experiencing is severe without medication. Try to be understanding and take away tasks that may contribute to their pain. For example, if they are experiencing lower back pain then handle dishes and laundry for them and don’t put pressure on them to exert the same physical activity that they previously did.

Help to look for solutions which may not involve opioids. Sometimes holistic solutions such as massage, cupping, and exercises can reduce the source of the pain which led to the addiction to pain pills. While this won’t remove an opioid addiction habit, it can help to remove the underlying cause for taking certain pain reducing substances and reduce any justifications that the person has for opioid use.

While you may want to be confrontational with the loved one who is abusing opioids, be sure to have viable solutions on hand for improving their situation and getting them off their opioid addiction. You may want to contact a drug addiction specialist to help provide you with the advice you need to effectively talk with your loved one in a direct way that doesn’t enable them, but helps to obtain the results that you are looking for. Be patient with them and embrace the little victories along the easy. Setbacks can occur but love can see you and your loved one through a nasty opioid abuse habit.

We’re here to help…

Whether treatment is for you, a family member or a friend, we are happy to speak with you about our outpatient drug treatment program, and how AOC can help patients with their opioid addiction recovery. Since 2007, AOC has helped thousands of patients on their path to recovery.

Please read more about AOC, or call us at 330-259-4849, or email to schedule an appointment – it’s fast, easy and confidential.