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How to help an addict?

How to Help an Addict?

            Everyone will need some form of advice or help at some point in life. There will be a time when children will require guidance, or a brother will confide in a sister for some relationship advice, or a neighbor needs to borrow milk for a cake being baked. No matter the severity of the issue, daily, people reach out to one another for help. Still, there are people struggling, miserable in desperate need of help, but are unsure of which way to turn for help, and usually when they find help they are not willing to accept it. These people are addicts. So, how would one effectively help someone with an addiction?

            First and foremost, it is important to remember that an active drug user has placed a huge, imaginary wall between themselves and the rest of the world, leaving them very much alone. It is important to remain diligent in an attempt to breech that wall, as to show them they are not alone. One way to ensure they are never alone in this journey is to implement the idea of a higher power in order for them to realize that there is something bigger than them out there. This will help instill hope into the addict’s chaotic life. Another way to help them feel less alone in this endeavor is to introduce them to a twelve step program, such as Narcotics Anonymous or Alcoholics Anonymous, and help them to find a sponsor. This will allow the addict to meet people just like them who have struggled at one point but have found a new life for themselves. Going to meetings with people similar to themselves will allow them to feel like they are a part of something, instead of being isolated from the world.

            Another key component in one being able to help a suffering addict is being able to empathize with addiction, or having an experience with addiction. Although a background in addiction is not required to help an addict, it could help tremendously. For example, a boy who is an aspiring basketball player would be more willing to take advice from Michael Jordan, more so than he would take advice from his mother on the matter. This can be applied to helping an addict. If the person could share a similar experience with the addict, the addict could find hope by envisioning their life being turned around as well. Since not everyone has had a run in with drugs or alcohol, a person with a strong desire to help and the ability to empathize could certainly offer hope as well. As long as the addict sees that someone cares about them, they may be able to see a brighter future for themselves.

            Addiction will slowly take the meaning out of the addict’s life. Once life loses all meaning, it is hard to find the will to turn it around. With that being said, the addict will need a ton of guidance to find the right type of treatment because it isn't easy to be proactive when life has lost all meaning. Just like in any other aspect of life, taking the initial first step towards moving forward it the hardest and most uncomfortable, especially for someone as lost as a suffering addict. The addict needs tons of moral support, and knowledge of the options available.

            Being able to help someone turn their life around is an extremely rewarding opportunity. Although it 

may be hard to break through the barrier that has been put in place by the addict, it is plausible with 

diligence and a warm heart. The addict will need to find a support group such as NA/AA, and get a 

sponsor. Along with a sponsor, they will need to rely on their higher power. There is no better feeling than 

having a life worth living, and with a little help from good people, everybody could make a better life for 

themselves.