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What
can I do if I think someone is in trouble with drugs?
Whether
this person is a family member, a friend or a work
colleague, it would be very helpful if you are able to
offer your support to them. That's really important.
Then the individual needn't feel that he or she has to
tackle this problem on their own. Most people with a
drug problem have already tried that - and usually it
hasn't worked.
Then -
the main thing you can do for anyone who's in trouble
with drugs is to encourage him or her to ask for help.
Remember
- you can’t FORCE this person to do anything, but
you can encourage him or her to find professional
help. We would suggest that you:
-
Talk
to the person when he or she is sober or straight.
Try to talk in a calm, caring manner and indicate
your support. Tell them that - if they would like
you to - you're willing to help in any way you can.
Remember - shouting doesn't help.
-
Don't accuse him or her of being an alcoholic or
drug addict, but do express your concern.
-
Try
not to blame this individual for the problem
- if you do, he or she might be turned off right
away.
-
Talk
about your own feelings. Tell the person that
you’re worried - and how it feels for you to see him
or her drunk or high on drugs.
-
Be prepared for denial and anger. He
or she might say there's nothing wrong and may get
mad at you. Many people with alcohol or drug
problems react in this way
-
Find
out where help is available. You could offer to go
with this person to get help - but be prepared to
follow through. This will show that you really care.
If your
offer of support is accepted - then that's great - and
with help from you and other people, he or she will be
able to begin to take action about their alcohol or
drug abuse.
If your
support is rejected, then try not to be upset. Maybe he
or she is just not ready yet to do anything about their
problem. If you feel OK about it, you could offer to
help out anytime in the future if they should ask you
for advice.
You must
then get on with your own life because it's up to them
to make the next move.
If your
concerns about possible drug or alcohol abuse by a
family member are correct, their behaviour will almost
certainly impact on you - and other family members. This
may be hurtful and harmful for you. You need to look
after yourself.
You
can't control another persons' alcohol or drug misuse.
No-one can, no matter how much we'd like to. It's up to
the user. Nothing is likely to change until the drug
user decides to change his or her behaviour. All you can
do is to state how you feel about the situation and make
clear certain boundaries are - e.g., no drug use or
drinking in your home.
NEXT STEP –
contact us for friendly professional advice |
