Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 4: Providing support
• Method 2 of 4: Awareness of Drug Addiction
• Method 3 of 4: Taking Action
• Method 4 of 4: Next Steps
• Tips
• Warnings

What should you do if you want to help someone get rid of drug addiction, but do not know how to do it? There are many wrong ways to help drug addicts. You cannot force a person to fight attachment, nor can you do it instead. Your efforts should be focused on offering a variety of help and support. In order to help a person with such an addiction, you must understand that this is a complex disease.You cannot remake such a person, and you also need to realize that you are dealing primarily with a person, and not just a drug addict (as the title of this article says). Fighting a drug addict will be a daunting task, but your support will undoubtedly help him heal.

Steps

Method 1 of 4: Providing support

1. 1 Be the best friend you can be. Friendship can be short, or it can last until the end of life. Helping a friend cope with drug addiction can be the way to make your friendship even stronger and more lasting. As you build relationships, you tend to take more care of the person. When a crisis hits, you really want to help it.
   • Be there, especially when he needs you, and listen to what he has to tell you. There are many reasons why a person starts using drugs. Your willingness to listen to him can help him express his thoughts and feelings, and can help you understand the true reason for his addiction to drugs.
   • Be a respectful, loyal, and reliable friend. Expressing your feelings is brave, but sometimes risky. You can admit it by saying, "I know this is quite difficult for you and I am proud that you share this with me. I respect you for that. And I will always be ready to talk to you."
   • Helping a person with drug addiction can be very difficult and time-consuming for you, but success in overcoming addiction will be your biggest reward.
2. 2 Express empathy. Being listened to and understood are key ingredients for personal development. Emotional experiences due to increased drug cravings cause a person to change, which can be very painful. You can help him just by listening to him.
   • Put yourself in his place. Learn to empathize and accept rather than condemn. It may not be easy to understand a person, but you can always try to do it.
   • Treat the person the way you would like to be treated. Perhaps you yourself have struggled with drug addiction and know what was good for you and what was not.
3. 3 Report your concerns. It's hard to watch someone suffer or make bad decisions that negatively affect their life. At some point, you will need to tell this person that you are concerned about their lifestyle. He may want to listen to what you have to tell him, or he may refuse to do it. It's okay anyway, because you are genuinely showing your concern.
   • Asking permission to intervene. If a person is experiencing bouts of pain, they may not be aware that they need help, however, they may be open to accepting it. For example, you might say, "You seem to be trying to overcome your addiction. I am here and ready to help you if you want to. Is that okay for you?"
   • Don't be afraid to ask tough, direct questions. Dealing with tough, difficult topics that could threaten your future relationship can be overwhelming. You will have to ask direct, honest questions such as, "Do you think you have a craving for this drug?" or "I know it might be hard for you to talk about it, but I need to know if you're ready to ruin your health and relationships with drug addiction?"

Method 2 of 4: Awareness of Drug Addiction

1. 1 Observe the behavior. Learn to distinguish between the signs and symptoms of drug addiction. A radical change in personal behavior may indicate that the person is using drugs. Changes in personal behavior are a symptom of all types of drug addiction, including alcoholism, dependence on prescription drugs, and opiate dependence.
   • Signs of Opiate Addiction: The forearm of someone who is opiate may have syringe marks on the forearm, although many are very adept at concealing intravenous drug use by injecting themselves into closed areas of the body, such as between the toes. A person who is addicted to opiates often experiences frequent thirst or excessive sweating, and their pupils are severely constricted.
   • Signs of alcoholism: frequent smell of alcohol, irritability, fuzzy speech, unusually shiny or glazed eyes and incoherence of thoughts and ideas, violation of the logical order of thoughts. Alcoholics often try to hide physical evidence of addiction, such as hiding empty bottles and cans.
   • Signs of dependence on medication prescribed by your doctor. Those who are addicted to prescription medication may develop intoxication symptoms such as lethargy, blurry speech, and slightly drooping eyelids.
2. 2 Write down the dates and times of conflicts and various incidents that happened due to drug use. If conflicts are more frequent, this may indicate the development of drug addiction. It is difficult to predict whether this dependence will grow and worsen the seriousness of the situation? Get ready for this.
   • It is possible that the person is taking an overdose of the drug and constantly faints at parties. Was he involved in driving while intoxicated or drugged, or accused of vandalism while under the influence of a drug? Did you take part in fights while under the influence of drugs?
3. 3 Identify his personal drug or drug of preference. A common symptom in most drug addicts is the use of several types of drugs. Sometimes this is easy and sometimes it is difficult to determine. If the person is hiding the drug use, you can only see the signs and symptoms of drug abuse. If in doubt, you can always ask about it. Here is a partial list of addictive drugs: amphetamines, anabolic steroids, club drugs, cocaine, heroin, volatile solvents, marijuana, and drugs prescribed by your doctor.
   • Different drugs can affect a person in different ways.
   • A person can use different drugs, so it is difficult to determine.
   • In the event of an overdose or an ambulance call, you may be the only one who will have to tell the medical staff what drug (or drugs) were used in order for the victim to receive appropriate medical attention.
4. 4 Determine the degree of addiction. The purpose of this is not to wait for the moment when the addict's behavior gets out of control and leads to the situation and the relationship being unable to be corrected. Ideally, a person should seek help themselves to overcome drug cravings, without waiting for consequences such as job loss, financial ruin, abuse of the good attitude of those who love him.
   • Ask him, "What attempts have been made to stop taking drugs? And why were they not successful?"
   • Is the person properly motivated to change, but constantly struggling to get things done? Do drugs control him?
   • If he's a classmate or family friend, let his family know when things get out of hand. Don't fight the problem alone.

Method 3 of 4: Taking Action

1. 1 Determine if the person needs help. Basic human rights allow him to ask for and accept help. These same rights allow him to refuse help that he might need. This creates difficulties between the people involved, and the worse the situation gets, the more desperate you may feel.
   • How do you want to be involved in the process? If you are reading this right now, you may have already tried to change someone's life.
   • A lot of people are reluctant to participate in helping those who are drug addicts, so honor and praise for your willingness to do so.
2. 2 Discuss and set limits. Health limitations should be discussed with a focus on what will bring the greatest benefit to the addict without harming his health. The list of behaviors can be as follows: you will ignore his unwanted behavior, lend him money to buy drugs so that he does not steal them, you will sacrifice your free time and desires to help the addict, restrain the expression of your emotions, lie to cover him up, and continue to help him, even if he does not appreciate it and does not know about it.
   • Tell the person that you will support their efforts to overcome their addiction, but that you will not take part in anything that could prolong their addiction.
3. 3 Convince the person to accept help. There are all signs that he needs her. Right now is the time for you to tell him about the reality of the situation. Sometimes you have to force the person to think about the consequences of not accepting the help they need.
   • If you know he needs help but refuses it, you can call the police to shock him into realizing they need to help him. At the same time, he should not find out that it was you who called the police.
   • Warn him by saying the following: "Prison is a terrible, dangerous and disgusting place where no one will take care of you. You will not want to go there. Your life will collapse there, and you can hardly fix it."
   • Show statistics and videos on the consequences of overdose and road deaths caused by driving people under the influence of drugs.
   • Do not flush drugs down the toilet, as this can contaminate the water system with hazardous substances.
4. 4 Hide your car keys to prevent him from driving. A trip with a person under the influence of a psychotropic drug will lead to the fact that everyone who is with him at that moment in the car may be prosecuted and, most likely, arrested. This is a great example of how a drug addict gets other people into trouble.
5. 5 Intervene. Help comes in different ways, sometimes it has to be provided by force. This is a difficult decision, but it becomes necessary when an addiction gets out of control and threatens a person's life. The intervening process is likely to be overwhelming for the addict, but try not to corner him or her so that he does not become defensive. Those who will take part in the intervention process must be carefully selected. People close to the addict should describe how drug use affects their lives as well.
   • Before the intervention, develop at least one treatment plan that you can offer to the addict. Prepare everything in advance if he needs to be escorted to the medical center immediately after the intervention. The intervention will not be of much benefit if the person does not know how to get help, or if he does not have the support of loved ones.
   • You may have to cheat to get the person to come to the intervention site.
   • Be prepared to talk about the specific consequences that can befall a person if he refuses to seek help. These consequences should not be just empty threats, so the people close to the addict should think carefully about the consequences of his refusal from treatment and be ready to go to the end.
   • The intervention may also be attended by colleagues or representatives of his religious community (if appropriate).
   • Participants should prepare concrete examples of how drug use is destroying their relationship. They often choose to write letters. Drug addicts are often not worried about their own self-destructive behavior, but pictures of how their lifestyle harms the people they love are often the strongest motivators to seek help in drug addiction.
6. 6 Offer a rehabilitation program. Contact several rehab clinics and ask about their services. Do not be afraid to ask about their routines and how they act in the event of an exacerbation of the patient's illness. If medical intervention is not required, help to find out about the degree of his addiction and the recommended rehabilitation plan. Provide support and instill confidence in the person that they are in control of their inevitable rehabilitation.
   • Review the proposed rehabilitation programs and keep in mind that the more drug addicted patients accept the treatment program, the better their chances of getting rid of drug addiction.
7. 7 Visit the center that's right for you. If the patient is admitted for inpatient treatment, the rules for staying in the center should be explained to him. Realize that you will need to leave the patient, making it impossible for him to contact anyone. The staff of the rehabilitation center will inform you about the date of your visit and will be grateful for your visit.

Method 4 of 4: Next Steps

1. 1 Take it back into your life.A person who has overcome drug addiction will need support. You can play a big role in this. A warm welcome will be exactly what that person expects of you. He needs to feel that someone needs him, and you can contribute to this.
   • Encourage and offer more freedom for a new, healthier lifestyle. Invite him to share your adventure with you. However, be careful not to embark on an adventure that tempts him to return to drug use.
   • The goal is to help him not feel lonely and to reassure him that he can reach out to you and others when he needs it. He will likely be nervous, fearful, and insecure about his ability to do without drugs.
2. 2 Ask him about his successes. Let him know that you really care about him and wish him well. It is important that he is in therapy and attending a support group. It is likely that this will be part of the requirements of any rehabilitation program.
   • Help him report on his healing program. Find out how you can help him stay in the program. Don't let him relax.
   • Offer him to go to meetings together if you are both comfortable with that.
   • Always celebrate achievements. If he goes without drugs for even one day out of a thousand, that is already praiseworthy.
3. 3 Be creative when you need your help in the future. Drug addiction is a chronic disease and can be controlled but not completely cured. Relapses will happen, but they shouldn't be taken as a failure. However, after each relapse, treatment will be required.
   • As you go through the process of helping a person with drug addiction, you will have the knowledge and information to provide the necessary assistance. You can find psychologists and psychiatrists available in your area using the Association of American Psychologists website and the Association of American Psychiatrists website.
   • Be constantly there (letters, calls, visits, entertainment, sports games, joint outings, support for a variety of hobbies). Help combat the temptation to use drugs when you run into trouble.
4. 4 Stay positive in your relationships. However, be honest and straightforward when necessary. He must know that there will always be people ready to help him, and you will be among them.

Tips

• Addiction is a physical, spiritual and mental illness. Attention should be paid to all three aspects.
• Do not give up, otherwise he will feel abandoned not only by others, but also by those who are dear to him.
• Reassure him that you will not leave him in the event of a relapse.
• Express your love, care, and confidence for the future.

Warnings

• Drug addicts can steal money to buy drugs. You may be a victim of them.
• In case of overdose, call 03
• At times you will not be able to help.
• For many years, a drug addict can seem like a normal person. Ultimately, the illness will manifest itself either physically or emotionally, or it will harm the relationship.
• In case of violence, call the police.
• In case of an overdose, be prepared to provide information about the drugs you have taken.