Show up when he needs you and listen to what he has to say. There are reasons this person is abusing drugs. Listening may allow him to express thoughts and feelings that will eventually help him and you to understand the root cause of the addiction. [1] X Research source Be respectful, loyal and reliable. Expressing one’s feelings is a brave thing to do, and it can feel risky as well. You can acknowledge this by saying, “I know this might be hard for you and I am honored you are sharing this information. I respect you for doing this. I’m here if you ever want to talk. ” Helping a person with a drug addiction may be the most difficult, time consuming thing you will ever do, but the most rewarding.
Put yourself in the person’s shoes. Learn to be compassionate and accepting rather than judging the person. [3] X Research source It might be difficult to understand, but you can always try. Treat the person like you would like to be treated. You have probably experienced struggles in your life and know what was helpful to you, and what wasn’t.
Ask permission to get involved. If a person is in the throes of addiction he may not realize he needs help, but might be open to it. You can say things like, “It seems like you are struggling with this drug. I’m here for you if you want me to help. Would you be okay with that?” Don’t be afraid to ask the tough questions. Confronting difficult subject matter that might jeopardize a relationship is challenging. You will need to ask direct, honest questions like, “Do you think you are addicted to this drug?” and “I know it might be hard to talk about this, but I have to know if you’re willing to ruin your health, and your relationships because of it?”
Signs of opiate addiction: needle marks may be evident on the arms of someone who is abusing opiates, although many addicts become skilled at hiding evidence of intravenous drug use by injecting the drugs in unseen areas, such as between the toes. A person who is abusing opiates may also appear unusually thirsty or sweaty, and their pupils may be small pinpoints. Signs of alcoholism: may frequently smell of alcohol, exhibit irritable behavior, slurred speech, unusually bright or glassy eyes and difficulty expressing thoughts and ideas in a logical manner. Alcoholics often try to hide the physical evidence of the addiction, including empty bottles and cans. Signs of prescription drug abuse: Individuals who suffer from a dependency on prescription drugs may exhibit signs of intoxication, including clumsiness, slurred speech and may appear droopy-eyed.
Perhaps he or she consumes excessive amounts of a substance and continually passes out at parties. Has he or she gotten cited for a DUI or cited for substance-driven vandalism charges? Does he or she get into substance-fueled fights?
Different drugs may affect a person in different ways. There may be multiple drugs in a person’s system, so it will be difficult to determine. In the event of an overdose or medical emergency you may be the one who must tell the medical personnel what type of drug or drugs were consumed so the proper treatment can be given. [7] X Research source
Ask him, “What attempts have been made by you to stop? Why do you think you weren’t successful?” Does the person appear and sound motivated to make a change, but repeatedly struggles with sticking to his plan? Is the drug controlling the person? If he is your college buddy, or family friend call his family to let them know when things have gotten out of control. Don’t face the problem alone.
How involved do you want to be in the process? If you are reading this right now, you are probably invested in making a difference in a person’s life. Plenty of people don’t want to get involved in helping someone who is addicted to drugs, so bravo to you for wanting to get involved.
Tell the person with an addiction that you will help him and support him and his efforts to manage his addiction, but you will not engage in anything that promotes his continued use of the addictive substance.
If you know he needs the help, but refuses, you can call the cops on the person to shock him into realizing he needs help. He doesn’t have to know you called the police. Warn the person by saying, “Jail is a horrible, dangerous, and disgusting place where no one cares about you. You don’t want to go there. You will lose yourself in there and you might never recover. " Show the person statistics and videos about drug addiction overdoses and traffic deaths caused by people who drive while intoxicated. Do not flush drugs down the toilet because it will pollute the water system with dangerous substances that end up in the food supply.
Prior to the intervention, develop at least one treatment plan to offer to the person. Make arrangements ahead of time if the person is going to be escorted to the drug treatment center directly from the intervention. The intervention will mean little if he does not know how to get help and does not have the support of loved ones. You will likely have to trick the person into coming to the location where the intervention is supposed to take place. Be prepared to offer specific consequences if the person rejects seeking treatment. These consequences must not be empty threats, so the person’s loved ones should consider the consequences to be imposed if he does not seek treatment, and be willing to follow through. An intervention may also include the person’s colleagues and religious representatives (if appropriate). Participants should prepare specific examples of how their loved one’s drug abuse has hurt the relationship. Often, those staging an intervention choose to write letters to the person. A person with an addiction may not care about their own self-destructive behaviors, but seeing the pain his actions inflict on others can be a powerful motivator for seeking help.
Tour the suggested programs and keep in mind that the more receptive the person with the addiction is of the treatment plan, the better the chances of overcoming the addiction.
Encourage and suggest the potential freedoms of new, healthier lifestyles. Invite the person to go with you on new adventures. Be mindful not to pursue those things that might increase the urge to partake in drugs. The goal is to help the person not feel alone and to assure him that he can reach out to you and others when needed. He is going to be nervous, afraid and uncertain of his ability to stay sober.
Help the person be accountable to his program. Ask him if there is anything you can do to help him stay committed to attending. Don’t let him slack off. Offer to attend meetings with him if you both are comfortable with the idea. Always celebrate accomplishments. If a person is sober for one day or 1000 days, each day deserves a celebration. [11] X Research source
Once you go through the process of helping a person with an addiction, you will have the know-how and information necessary to help. Psychologists and psychiatrists are available in your local area and can be located through the American Psychological Association and the American Psychiatric Association. [12] X Research source You can also find a substance abuse counselor using the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Association (SAMHSA) website. [13] X Research source Be there for the person (text, call, see him, do fun activities, play sports, hang out, and support the person’s hobbies and interests). Help the person conquer the temptation to use drugs if a particularly difficult situation presents itself.
