How would you feel if you discovered that someone close to you was using heroin? Confused? Fearful? Powerless to help? Such feelings can be overwhelming. You want to know how it happened, and if there is anything you can do to help. Most importantly, you want to know if someone can overcome a heroin addiction and live a clean, sober life. Rest assured that recovery is possible, and your support will be the driving force that sees your loved one through to the end. It is possible for a user to quit heroin and stay clean, as long as they follow through on recovery.
Getting Past Anger
Getting angry when you find out about your loved one’s heroin problem is a natural reaction. However, it doesn’t help the situation and can even make things worse. The first step towards helping someone with an addiction is to let go of your anger toward them and the situation. Pointing out all the things they’re doing to hurt you and others is often fruitless. So how can you get past the anger?
Getting Educated
The answer is to educate yourself. It’s difficult to help another person when you don’t understand the problem. Addiction can affect anyone, and it’s not necessary to have a genetic predisposition, or a dysfunctional childhood or a lack of moral standards to become addicted. Which is why it is important for you to get educated about what addiction is. There are many resources available, starting with Google, the library, or addiction resources like AA. When you learn about addiction, that’s when you are able to help the other person heal. Our website and blog are a great starting point for learning about addiction and recovery.
Getting Yourself Help
You are not going to be able to control the person who has the addiction, but you can control your own behavior. A good place to start is to attend an Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous meeting, where you can get advice on your specific situation. You can also learn how to set healthy boundaries with your loved one. Key among this is learning how to avoid enabling behavior. As upsetting as it might be, you need to learn to let the person with addiction face the consequences of their actions.
Find An Expert
Heroin withdrawal can cause extreme symptoms including restlessness, insomnia, vomiting, muscle and/or bone pain, and others. In some cases, sudden withdrawal can be fatal. If your loved one agrees to stop using heroin, it would be wise to seek help from a treatment center or doctor to safely withdrawal from the substance and begin a healthy recovery.
The longer someone has been using heroin, the more difficult long term recovery can be. Contrary to popular belief, someone does not have to hit rock bottom before getting treatment. One effective way you can help break the cycle is through an intervention. A good treatment program can help you with that process so that you can bring your loved one into a healthy, supportive environment for recovery.
Serenity Oaks Wellness is a 5-week long treatment program where clients regain their ability to live and restore their confidence in living without drugs and alcohol. We seek to adorn each client with the tools and foundation they need for living a beautiful life of recovery. Call us today for information: 844-720-6847
