Do you have a friend who is trying to turn their life around and needs help kicking their drug addiction? In many cases, they need the help of a therapist or drug rehab center, but they will also benefit from the support of their friends.
What can you do to make sure you are helping and supporting them as much as possible in their attempt to quit drugs? Here are some ideas.
1. Help them with household chores
Even household chores can feel overwhelming when trying to kick a serious addiction. As the drug leaves a person’s system, he or she may feel tired, sick, or unwell. During this recovery period, he or she will need help. He or she may not be able to do regular household chores easily. He or she may need help running errands or paying bills.
So what can you do? You can help out by doing some household chores or hire Bronx home cleaning professionals. Look for ways to take some of the pressure off your friend and take on some of their responsibilities. You don’t want to make the mistake of doing all the work for them, but when you know they’re not feeling well and are having a hard time doing some things, you can help them out.
Be careful not to impose yourself on your friends or force them to help you. It would be better to simply ask them what you can do to help them and perhaps offer some suggestions. Let them know that you are willing to mow the lawn, clean the floor, help with laundry, and do other tasks that might make their lives a little easier. When someone is not feeling well, they are more likely to give in to the urges they are feeling, and you can help them stay away from drugs by giving them a hand.
2. Spend time with them
One of the most valuable things you can do to support a friend who is trying to quit drugs is to simply set aside time to be with them. This is a great way to keep them busy and interested in something that has nothing to do with their drug addiction. You can simply hang out with your friend and watch movies, or you can take them out to eat, go for a walk, or do some other activity that will distract them from drugs.
When they have someone around who doesn’t use drugs, that can be a big influence on them. You can help hold them accountable and keep them from falling back into the drug habit. They’re less likely to use drugs when there’s someone around who doesn’t use drugs. You can have a positive impact on their life and keep them so engaged in what they’re doing with you that they don’t even want to use drugs.
3. Don’t talk about your problems
Someone who is trying to quit drugs will often be overwhelmed by their own problems. It can be detrimental to you to put some of your problems in their hands and tell them about the horrible things you might be going through. It would be better for you to find someone else to tell your problems to, and this way you can take some of the extra pressure off your friend who is trying to quit drugs.
The thing about talking about our problems with our friends is that they often want to think of solutions to help. If you start talking about your problems with a friend who is struggling with drugs, their mind may get a little overwhelmed, as they are already dealing with their own problems and are trying to think of solutions for yours as well.
4. Encourage them to seek help when needed
Breaking free from drug addiction can take a long time. In many people’s lives, there will be periods where they are free for a while and then they will return to addiction. They will have ups and downs and may feel somewhat unstable.
That’s perfectly normal and what people should do when they relapse is to seek help again. The problem, however, is that they may feel that they have already sought help and that it has not solved their problem. They don’t understand that, in most cases, there was nothing wrong with the help.
So, you can encourage them to seek help when they are going through tough times or periods of relapse. If you see that your friend is going through a tough time, it may be a good idea to suggest that they seek help, whether it’s by going to a rehab center, checking into a clinic, or talking to a drug rehab counselor. You don’t want to be pushy, but you do want to make the right suggestion at the right time.
Pay attention to signs that your friend may be in crisis or may be experiencing a relapse in their drug addiction. In these cases, you should take extra steps to protect and support them. If they refuse to get help, you may want to contact their therapist on your own and ask for advice on what to do.
5. Love them even when they fall
If you want to be a true friend to someone who is struggling with drugs, then it is important that you love and care for them even when they make mistakes. Not everyone gets free from drugs on the first try. Many people relapse again and again and need to be around people who will support them and help them achieve victory and become free from drugs.
You can be that supportive person in your friend’s life, not judging or shaming them when they fall, but letting them know that you’re there to help them pick up the pieces and that you believe they can give up.
Senior Editorial Staff in Soltricism
Kathrin Titman, a former healthcare professional with over 12 years of nursing experience and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Widener University, is now a practicing writer. In addition to writing, she enjoys spending time with her family and supporting nonprofits.
