What to do when your loved one abuses drugs

Nov 22
11:59

2015

Peter Guilorry

Peter Guilorry

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Drug abuse is one of the biggest concerns in the United States and it costs the nation a whopping $700 billion every year, leaving a trail of health scares and pandemonium. Not just adults, but even teenagers fall prey to drug addiction and other substance abuse in a large number. Be it illicit drugs or prescription drug abuse, they try it all.

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As parents,What to do when your loved one abuses drugs Articles guardians or custodians of the younger generation, it is our collective responsibility to address the issue and find a way out. Though recent studies have shown a slight drop in such cases, a simultaneous rise in the rampant use of e-cigarettes is a cause of concern. Going by the veracity of statistics, it has attained the proportion of a pandemic. Approximately 23.5 million needed treatments for addiction in 2009, while only 11.6 percent of them actually received it.

Whenever a loved one abuses drugs, it is your duty to face the issue and initiate necessary steps. If you live nearby, the detox centers Los Angeles are considered among the best in the country. But, merely taking him or her to a detox center will not solve the problem. It is very important that you address the underlying condition, why it happened in the first place.

Taking onus for such a mishap would give you a perspective to tackle the issue and move in the right direction. A drug addict in the family means everyone has to be up on his or her toes because it affects each member in the house. It impacts a family both financially and emotionally when a loved indulges in drug abuse.

Let us look at a few simple steps to deal with an addict in the family:

Educate yourself about the addiction: The first and foremost step is to gather as much information you can about the addiction so that you embark on the right path from the very beginning. Scour the internet, talk to friends, colleagues, neighbors and relatives. Dig out information which would come handy when you start the detox procedure. One of the authentic sources of information is the NIDA’s Drug Pubs Research Dissemination Center, where you will find a lot of resources on drugs, drug abuse and its treatment.

Understand the gravity: Addiction could have both mental and physical manifestations in a person. Always be sympathetic to the addict as your compassion would mean a lot to them. Try to gauge how serious is the addiction and for how long the loved one has been abusing it.

Gather information about treatment: Learning about the treatments and therapies is very important because it will give a fair idea whether you are moving in the right direction. Some of the therapies given by treatment centers like the detox centers in San Clemente include:

  • Cognitive-behavioral therapy
  • Contingency management
  • Motivational enhancement therapy
  • Family therapy

Look out for an organization that can provide support: There are a handful of organizations that support families and addicts while fighting addiction. Some of these, like the Al-Anon, Ala-Teen and Nar-Anon, offer the 12-step programs for family members and friends of addicts. Taking support from these organizations will help you deal with the emotions and relationship strain in the family due to the addiction.

Above all, taking your loved one to a reputed detox center at the right time is very important. If you are looking for one, then the detox facilities in Los Angeles have a very high success rate of treating drug addicts and other substance abuse patients.