When you love an addict, you are learning about dependence the hard way. Because you love the addict, you may not be able to be objective about the situation, but part of you really wants to understand how this monster got a hold of someone and turned his life inside out. The following ideas can give you methods to learn the answers.
Read: There are countless books on addiction out there. Not only are there health books written by those who work in the field, but also there are memoirs, journals and blogs written by those who have loved an addict and shared their stories. Amazon.com and most major bookstores will have an array of choices for you. If you go to an online bookstore, type in addiction, drug addiction and addicts into the search field to choose what you want to read, or explore our blogs for a good selection of related information.
Al-Anon and Nar-Anon: These are meetings for the family members and friends of alcoholics and drug addicts. You will connect with others in your spot, but they are in it with someone else not someone you're close to, so it might be easier to hear their story and learn from it. Through the meetings and friendships you form with other members, you can discover a lot of valuable tips about living with an addict. Those who have been walking the road longer than you have can be especially helpful.
Volunteer: Find out if your county has an anti-drug coalition and join it. Such groups sponsor fund-raisers, community events and educational opportunities. By volunteering, you will have an inside track to all activities where there will be guest speakers, experts and recovered addicts to learn from.
Talk to the addict: You probably didn't see this one coming but it is a valuable suggestion. No one knows addiction better than the addict. Catch him in a quiet time and find out if he is willing to talk without any judgments being passed. Ask what you want to know. If your addict is open about his addiction, he might be relieved to explain things. If he is still in denial, at least to you, this won't work and you can skip it.
Final thoughts: In educating yourself about addiction, you arm yourself with the tools you need to deal with it. Along the way, you have the opportunity to reach out in your community and help educate others.
National Institute of Drug AbuseBooks about addiction on Google
HBO Addiction
Read: There are countless books on addiction out there. Not only are there health books written by those who work in the field, but also there are memoirs, journals and blogs written by those who have loved an addict and shared their stories. Amazon.com and most major bookstores will have an array of choices for you. If you go to an online bookstore, type in addiction, drug addiction and addicts into the search field to choose what you want to read, or explore our blogs for a good selection of related information.
Al-Anon and Nar-Anon: These are meetings for the family members and friends of alcoholics and drug addicts. You will connect with others in your spot, but they are in it with someone else not someone you're close to, so it might be easier to hear their story and learn from it. Through the meetings and friendships you form with other members, you can discover a lot of valuable tips about living with an addict. Those who have been walking the road longer than you have can be especially helpful.
Volunteer: Find out if your county has an anti-drug coalition and join it. Such groups sponsor fund-raisers, community events and educational opportunities. By volunteering, you will have an inside track to all activities where there will be guest speakers, experts and recovered addicts to learn from.
Talk to the addict: You probably didn't see this one coming but it is a valuable suggestion. No one knows addiction better than the addict. Catch him in a quiet time and find out if he is willing to talk without any judgments being passed. Ask what you want to know. If your addict is open about his addiction, he might be relieved to explain things. If he is still in denial, at least to you, this won't work and you can skip it.
Final thoughts: In educating yourself about addiction, you arm yourself with the tools you need to deal with it. Along the way, you have the opportunity to reach out in your community and help educate others.
National Institute of Drug AbuseBooks about addiction on Google
HBO Addiction
