5 Celebrities Who Got Real About Their Addiction

5 Celebrities Who Got Real About Their Addiction - Golden Road Recovery

Alcohol or drug addiction can affect just about anyone at any time. Addiction does not discriminate against anyone. While we may view celebrities as people who have it all; money, fame, expensive houses and clothes, we often forget that they are sometimes the ones who struggle the most with drug addiction. Here we will discuss 5 celebrities who got real about their addiction as well as ways to escape from and treat an addiction.

Celebrities and Their Stories

The list of celebrities who have battled with addiction may be a shocking amount. But is it really all that surprising? Celebrities have enough money in the world to buy just about anything. They also have to deal with constant paparazzi, judgement from the world, attending major events, keeping up with their social image and social media, and working long hours at a time. It is no wonder many of them resort to using drugs or alcohol to cope with the high stress that comes with being in the public eye. Here are 5 celebrities who got real about their addiction:

1. Drew Barrymore:

This well-known celebrity who started out as the child star playing in ET, has opened up about her struggles with cocaine and alcohol. Drew was put in the spotlight at a very young age which essentially led her down the dark road of cocaine and alcohol addiction. Her mother admitted her into a rehab at the age of 14 after a suicide attempt. Drew overcame a heavy addiction within her teen years, and has since made a strong recovery and comeback into the spotlight with a positive relationship with herself and her children.

2. Demi Lovato:

Another childhood star, Demi Lovato, has opened up about their addiction with cocaine, alcohol and other drugs. This Disney Channel star was struggling with the party lifestyle, using drugs and alcohol on the daily, and was admitted into rehab for the first time at age 18. Since then, Demi has had long periods of sobriety followed by relapses. Demi also struggles with an eating disorder and has shared about their depression. In 2018, Demi was hospitalized for a drug overdose that nearly killed them. They spent 3 months in rehab after this tragic event. Today, Demi writes powerful lyrics about their journey to sobriety and the struggles with drug addiction.

3. Matthew Perry:

Matthew Perry, most commonly known as Chandler Bing from the 90’s sitcom, Friends, has shared about his experiences of chronically abusing both alcohol and prescription pills. Matthew recently came out with a new book where he shared that he was either drunk or high while filming almost every season of Friends. Matthew has sought out help several times through rehab, AA and admitting himself into different detox centers. Matthew shared through his book that he is actively sober and in addiction recovery.

4. Mac Miller:

Malcolm McCormick, otherwise known as Mac Miller, shared about his struggles with addiction through his song lyrics and through interviews. Mac Miller was a young rap star with several music albums, however he also experienced a lot of judgement, criticism and hate. Mac has shared that he regularly smoked marijuana to cope with the stress and eventually started using other drugs like codeine, and eventually his addiction led him to a drug overdose (a combination of alcohol, cocaine and fentanyl) that tragically took his life. Mac shared in several interviews that he did not like to be sober and drugs helped him to feel better in the world.

5. Lindsay Lohan:

Lindsay Lohan has been in the spotlight since staring in the iconic film Parent Trap. Lindsay has had a long journey with substance abuse and addiction, leading to multiple DUI’s, jail time, and several trips to rehabs. Lindsay has stated that she has been sent to rehab so many times that she could “write a book on it.” This well-known celebrity has struggles with mental health and used drugs recreationally for most of her stardom life. She now has made a comeback, starting in a Netflix original movie, Falling for Christmas, and has shared about her sobriety and experience with drug addiction.

Escaping From Addiction

Addiction of any kind can be a scary and dark place that may feel impossible to escape, but there is always help available to you. While drugs and alcohol may feel like the only answer, it certainly is not. Substance abuse and addiction is typically always correlated with some sort of mental health issues. For those who were never taught healthy ways of coping with symptoms of anxiety or depression or overcoming traumatic events, drugs and alcohol seems to be the easiest and quickest remedy for alleviating the deep pain and sorrow. For others, it is simply for the social aspect, and with all the fame these celebrities experience, it is just a part of the lifestyle. Society does not make it easy for those struggling with addiction. Escaping addiction is crucial for anyone battling the demons of drugs and alcohol and fortunately, there are many different options for addiction treatment.

Treatment

The most common form of addiction treatment is rehab. Rehab can be both inpatient or outpatient and offers therapeutic support focused solely on addiction and mental health. There are also community-based group programs such as Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous that offer the 12-step program to learn to the make amends with your demons, forgive those you have wronged, and use faith to find the light through sober living.

How Golden Road Recovery Can Help 

f you or someone you know if battling the struggles of addiction and wanting to escape from it, Golden Road Recovery can help. Golden Road Recovery is a luxurious rehab facility that offers evidence-based therapies with a more holistic approach, meaning incorporating the mind, body and spirit to help treat your addiction. Please call (877) 372-0536 to learn more about the services provided at Golden Road Recovery and start your journey to sobriety today.

Citations

Today. “Drew Barrymore Opens up About Her Cocaine use, Rocky Relationship with Mom.” https://www.today.com/popculture/drew-barrymore-opens-about-her-cocaine-use-relationship-mom-t137463  ​​Retrieved 14, September 2018

US. “Demi Lovato’s Struggle with Addiction in Their Own Words.” https://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/pictures/demi-lovatos-struggle-with-addiction-in-her-own-words/ Retrieved 23, August 2022

People. “Matthew Perry Opens Up About His Addiction Journey with a New Memoir: “I’m Grateful to be Alive.” https://people.com/tv/matthew-perry-opens-up-about-addiction-new-memoir/ Retrieved 19, October 2022

ET. “Everything Mac Miller Has Said About Drug Abuse, Depression and Death.” https://www.etonline.com/everything-mac-miller-has-said-about-drug-abuse-depression-and-death-109259 Retrieved 7, September, 2018

CNN Entertainment. “Lindsay Lohan Talks Drugs, Booze, Rehab, and Sex.” https://www.cnn.com/2013/05/05/showbiz/lindsay-lohan-rehab/index.html Retrieved 6, May 2013

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Drug Addiction vs Drug Abuse? What are the Differences?

Drug Addiction vs Drug Abuse

Drug Addiction vs Drug Abuse proves to be a very controversial subject in that one may lead to the other without the person realizing they have a problem. Drug abuse is excessive use of a drug for non medical means regardless of the social, physical, or psychological that may occur from each use. (Ex: steroids, cocaine, tranquilizers, alcohol, etc.) Whereas, drug addiction is use of disease the person’s behavior and brain are unable to control the body’s dependence on the drug whether it is an illegal or legal medication.  The risk of addiction and how fast you succumb to the addiction varies with the type of drug used. Treating drug abuse and addiction treatment is tailored to each person individually. Both drug abuse and drug addiction require outside help to ensure complete recovery.

What is Drug Abuse?

Drug abuse is excessive use of a drug for non medical means regardless of the social, physical, or psychological that may occur from each use.  (Ex: steroids, cocaine, tranquilizers, alcohol, etc.) A person becomes dependent on the drug they are using to help them cope with what they feel are difficult, embarrassing, or self-conscious situations.

Effective treatment methods of drug abuse and addiction are, but not limited to:

  1. Detoxification

Detox allows your body to rid itself of toxic substances. It should be done with medical assistance because it can cause life-threatening physical symptoms. Detoxification does not treat the underlying causes of addiction and is usually/should treated in combination with other treatments after detox.

  1. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

This treatment helps you recognize your unhealthy behavioral patterns. It also aids in the identification of the triggers and coping skills. It is a valuable treatment tool in that it can be used in different types of addictions food, alcohol, prescription, etc.)

  1. Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy (REBT)

The treatment of REBT helps the person recognize their negative thoughts and gives that person ways in which to combat the feeling of self-defeat or self-loathing.  It aids in helping you recognize that you have the power to use rational thinking and that the external situations do not control you.

  1. Contingency Management (CM)

CM therapy gives you tangible rewards, therefore; reinforcing your positive behaviors. This treatment is usually used to successfully combat relapses, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

  1. 12- Step Facilitation

The Twelve-step facilitation therapy (“12 step programs”) can be used to treat substance and alcohol abuse. This type of group therapy has the person recognize the negative effects/consequences that can be physical, emotional, social, and spiritual. It teaches the person to accept the abuse, and then move on and surrender to a higher power. This then evolves into regular group meetings (example: Alcohol Anonymous).

  1. Treatment For Medication

Medication can prove to help in a person’s recovery when combined with behavioral therapies. There are certain medications can reduce cravings, decrease addictive behaviors, and improve moods.

What is Drug Addiction?

 Drug addiction is a use of disease the person’s behavior and brain are unable to control the body’s dependence on the drug whether it is an illegal or legal medication.

Addiction and its effects and severity will vary with each individual and the drug the person is addicted to. Some of the effects, but not limited to are listed below.

  • Cardiovascular disease
  • Cancer
  • Gastrointestinal Effects
  • Neurological Effects
  • Mental Health Effects
  • Hepatitis and HIV
  • Musculoskeletal Disorders
  • Respiratory Deficits
  • Kidney Damage
  • Death

When does Abuse Become Addiction?

Drug addiction is a disease that effects the individual’s brain and behavior. Addiction leads to the inability to control the use of legal or illegal medication or drug. When a person is addicted, they may continue to use the drug regardless of the harm they are doing to themselves or to their family and friends. Addiction can start with innocent and experimental use in social situations. This seemly innocent use of the drug can become more frequent. Sometimes it can begin with the use of prescribed medications, the receiving of prescribed medications from friends or relatives.

The risk of addition varies with the individual and then drug. You may need larger doses of the drug to produce a high as times passes. Soon you begin to need the drug just to feel good or normal. As your drug intake increases, you may find it difficult to carry on with normal activities without the drug. When you try to stop the drug use, you may encounter intense craving, and you may become physically ill.

Behavioral signs of drug abuse are listed below but not listed to:

  • Sudden changes in hobbies, friends, favorite hangouts
  • Performance in school and attendance drops
  • Behaviors are secretive and suspicious

Read More: The Differences Between Detox and Rehab

Drug Abuse is Still Dangerous

Behavioral signs of drug addiction are listed below but are not limited to:

  • Doing things, you would not normally do to obtain the drug (ex. stealing).
  • Under the influence of the drug, you are driving or doing other risky activities.
  • Loss of interests
  • Cutting back on social or recreational activities, not meeting obligations, not meeting work responsibilities because of the use of the drug.
  • Even though it’s causing problems in your life, causing you physical, and psychological harm, you continue to use the drug.

 How is drug addiction different from drug abuse?

 It can be difficult to tell the difference between the drug abuse and drug addiction. Drug abuse is often the first step toward drug addiction. Drug addiction is different from drug abuse in that in drug addiction is the strong and overwhelming desire to consume the substance you are addicted to regardless of the consequences and havoc it brings to your life.

Distinguishing between abuse and addition is sometimes difficult to separate. It is difficult to know when you cross the line of drug abuse to full-blown drug addiction. Health wise, drug abuse can be as harmful to your physical and mental health as a drug addiction. You can use a substance without actually being addicted to the substance, but its frequent use can lead to addiction. It may also depend on how the substance is affecting your life physically, emotionally, socially, and professionally.

How does drug abuse lead to drug addiction?

You can use a drug without being addicted to it, but its continued use is likely to lead to addition. By abusing a drug regularly, you are making yourself susceptible to its addiction.

Symptoms of drug addiction.

Risks and dangers of drug addiction are varied by the drug the individual is using. Some drugs pose a higher risk and cause addiction more quickly than others. Some of the effects, but not limited to are listed below.

  • When you attempt to stop taking the drug, you experience withdrawal systems.
  • Needing more of the drug to get the same effect.
  • Making sure you always have enough of the drug on hand.
  • You feel you have to take the drug regularly – daily or several times a day.
  • Failing when you try to stop using the drug.
  • Doing things, you would not normally do to obtain the drug (ex. stealing).
  • Spending money you can’t afford to get the drug.
  • You are taking larger amounts of the drug over a longer period of time than intended.
  • Spending more and more time obtaining the drug, using the drug, and recovering from the effects of the drug.
  • Urges that block out any other thought than the drug.
  • Under the influence of the drug, you are driving or doing other risky activities.
  • Cutting back on social or recreational activities, not meeting obligations, not meeting work responsibilities because of the use of the drug.
  • Even though it’s causing problems in your life, causing you physical, and psychological harm, you continue to use the drug.
  • Loss of interests
  • Depression

Symptoms of drug abuse.

Risks and dangers of drug abuse are varied by the drug the individual is using. Some drugs pose a higher risk and cause addiction more quickly than others. Some of the effects, but not limited to are listed below:

  1. Small physical symptoms (“tics”)
  • Frequent sniffing
  • Persistent itching in a certain area of the body
  • Slurred speech
  • Pulling down sleeves impulsively to hide marks
  • Bloodshot eyes, enlarged or smaller pupils
  • Unexplained changes in personality or attitude
  • Change in sleeping habits, physical appearance, sleep patterns
  • Unusual smells in breath, clothing or body, or impaired coordination
  1. Paraphernalia
  • Pipes
  • Cigarette wrapping papers
  • Razor blades
  • Cut-up straws
  • Syringes
  • Rolled-up bank notes
  • Lighters
  • Bongs
  • “Cutting” surfaces like mirrors or glass
  • Burnt spoons or bottle caps
  • Soiled cotton swabs
  • Other things may present themselves such as: more than one prescription bottle from different doctors.
  1. Psychological warning signs
  • Sudden mood swings
  • Irritability
  • Angry outbursts
  • Spaced-out
  • Appears fearful, paranoid, or anxious for no reason
  1. Behavioral signs of drug abuse
  • Sudden changes in hobbies, friends, favorite hangouts
  • Performance in school and attendance drops
  • Behaviors are secretive and suspicious

Choose the Best Drug Abuse and Drug Addiction Centers to ensure a successful treatment recovery. Golden Road Recovery Center is one of California’s pristine facilities. They know the hardships involved with drug abuse and drug addiction. The individual’s mental and physical health is taken into account throughout the treatment. They work with the individual from the beginning through the end of the treatment to help overcome your addiction or abuse. Customizing the treatment to each person will help to ensure victory. When leaving the clinic, you will leave with an Addiction Aftercare Plan to help ensure your success. This plan is tailored to you individually.

Golden Road Recovery

22560 Lassen Street Chatsworth, CA 91311

877-372-0536

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Things to Consider While Choosing Inpatient Drug Rehab in California

Things to Consider While Choosing Inpatient Drug Rehab in California

 When you are considering a rehab center, you need to be aware of the different types of addiction they are offering. Understanding the different therapies should be a contributing factor in choosing the facility that is right for you. There are other factors that should be included in choosing a facility. Here are some listed below:

  • Credentials of all staff members and facility
  • Comfort – A relaxed environment will help in the treatment process.
  • Location – Are you comfortable with the area?
  • Treatments – Are they tailored for the individual? Follow-up treatment available?
  • Reviews – Are they favorable?

Inpatient Drug Rehab in California uses a combination of factors to treat the patient. This type of treatment addresses the whole person and ensure the patient’s success and maintenance of that success long-term.

The Drug and alcohol inpatient treatment programs consist of the following components:

  • Withdrawal management – The length of the withdrawal symptoms a patient undergoes depends on the drug, the amount used, how long it was used, and other contributing factors. The symptoms may linger long after the drug is out of the patient’s body. Trying to detox outside of inpatient care, can result in a relapse due to discomfort or may prove deadly without medical support.
  • Individual, family, and group therapy
  1. Individual therapy allows the patient to meet with the therapist one-on-one to address the symptoms of the abuse.
  2. Group therapy, guided by professional therapist, uses the other members experiences and knowledge to aide in the successful accomplishment of their goals.
  3. Family therapy gives you the opportunity to bring into the treatment process family members or close friends thus aiding in the relationships, understanding, and communication.
  • Medical treatment – Medical treatment is one of the most valuable components of a person’s rehab. Because the physical dependence and addiction impact the patient’s physical health, medical care needs to be present in the first steps of their recovery. Without medical care, the patient could be taking risks that can be fatal or seriously impact their organs and body systems.
  • Recreation therapy – It is important to include in the patient’s treatment program recreational activities to improve their mental and physical health.

What is an Inpatient Drug Rehab Treatment Program?

 The Inpatient Drug Rehab Program offers services that are in a more restrictive environment and are for those patients with more serious symptoms.

An Inpatient Drug Rehab Program is a treatment program that combines the different therapies to aide in ensuring the addict’s success. By using the different therapies in combination, they are addressing the physical and mental health of the individual. Using all the components, they are providing the patient with the tools for success and less change of addictions return.

Residential treatment facility is more like living in a home with a less restrictive environment. They offer the same treatments as the inpatient rehab programs, but the patients have more freedom, and the stays are longer.

What Types of Issues Do Residential Treatment Centers Treat?

 The Residential Treatment Centers are treating people who are struggling with drug addiction and abuse. They treat the mental and physical aspects of each patient by allowing them to learn about themselves and make the changes needed for a productive lifestyle.

  • They provide an environmental intervention as one of the therapies to show them a new lifestyle without drugs and alcohol. They focus on the individual’s need in securing the changes and tools they need to lead a healthy and productive life.
  • The facility addresses the medical needs of the patient. They address the medical need of the substance addiction and the mental health of the patient which often coexist together.
  • The treatment uses structure and consistency to help the patient change their old habits so that a new and healthier lifestyle emerges.

The most common perception about inpatient drug rehab facility is the goal of the treatment is to allow the patient to detox quickly stabilizing the symptoms. Once the symptoms are stabilized, it will allow the development of a program conducive to allowing the patient to receive the care they need in a more relaxed environment.

Is inpatient rehab considered acute care?

Acute care is short-term emergency care for a severe or traumatic illness or injury. If the patient requires more treatment, they are transferred to a long-term facility. Acute care is for short-term needs or cares to stabilize the person before transferring them to inpatient rehab facilities if acute care was related to drug use.

What type of insurance coverage during Inpatient Rehab Program?

Most insurances will cover substances abuse rehabilitation programs and varying forms of mental health treatment programs. The type of insurance coverage during the Inpatient Rehab Program depends on the insurance provider the person is a member.

Most insurances will pay for substance abuse/addiction and mental health conditions. You will need to check with the insurance provider to see how much they will cover for inpatient and outpatient care. You will also need to check to see if the rehab treatment center you are inquiring about is inside your insurance network. You can also check with the treatment center to see if your insurance will cover the cost and how much they will cover and how much will be your out-of-pocket cost. Also, available to you if you do not have coverage are state-funded rehab programs, sate insurance policies, and free rehab that many states have offered to people with substance abuse and mental issues.

When checking online, most facilities will have an area for you to check on your insurance coverage.

How long does a patient stay in rehabilitation?

 According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the longer a person stays in the rehab treatment program the more benefits and more successful they will have than being in the shorter-term treatment.

The patients that are going through drug treatment have more issues to overcome than the detox. After detox, which occurs at the start and is relatively short, the patient must work through the mental or psychological aspects of the addiction. The length of time a person goes through treatment varies with each person.

For severe cases and for those who have struggled with relapses and short-term treatments, the long-term option is the most advantageous. There are also other advantages, and some are listed below:

  • 24-hour health care
  • Helps rebuild relationships with family members
  • Time to reactivate the “life-skills” that have been neglected
  • Gives the brain time to recuperate and heal
  • More time to work through the psychological aspects of the treatment
  • Work through more than detoxification
  • Nutritional needs addressed

The duration of the stay depends on the individual’s need, the type of drug, and problems they have (health, mental).  The research indicates that the best outcomes occur with long-term treatment. The recovery from drug addiction is long-term and usually will require different aspects of treatment. The time needed for most of the addicted individuals to recover is about three months according to research.

Impatient treatment for mental health is there when you feel unable to safely handle or deal with your mental health by yourself. Often mental health issues are found along with the substance abuse and addiction of patients. This is called co-occurring mental health issues. When this occurs, the issues are addressed together in treatment.

What are the criteria for inpatient rehab?

Criteria for inpatient rehab are listed below, but not limited to:

  • 24/7 monitoring
  • Intense treatment
  • Restricted environment
  • The treatment program is short term intense treatment, the patient is moved to a

After the Inpatient Rehab, the patient is then referred to Residential Rehab. Some of these facilities coexist on the same grounds.

Impatient drug and alcohol rehab centers are dedicated to helping their patients in conquering their addictions and maintaining their new lifestyles. The centers want to provide a safe haven where the patients are able to learn and to feel comfortable in making the life changes, they need to ensure a productive life.

Drug and Alcohol rehabilitation services in California

Choose the Best Drug and Alcohol Centers to ensure a successful treatment recovery. Golden Road Recovery Center is one of California’s pristine facilities. They know the hardships involved with drug abuse and drug addiction and are an Inpatient Drug Rehab Treatment Center and Residential Rehab Center. The individual’s mental and physical health is considered throughout the treatment. They work with the individual from the beginning through the end of the treatment to help overcome your addiction or abuse. Customizing the treatment to each person will help to ensure victory. When leaving the clinic, you will leave with an Addiction Aftercare Plan to help ensure your success. This plan is tailored to you individually.

Golden Road Recovery

22560 Lassen Street Chatsworth, CA 91311

877-372-0536

Get Help Now - We Accept Most Private Health Insurance

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The Best Ways to Ask for Help with Addiction

asking for help when addicted to drugs

We Understand the pain of being an addict and the problems they face in asking for the help. Asking for the help when you are an addict is not an easy task and under this tremendous pressure people are likely to fall pray to addiction and give up. There are many instances when people have drugs in their hands, and they think about getting the help to regard Drug Abuse as well at them same time. But in reality, Getting the Help When You are an Addict is not difficult after all. Below mentioned are the few ways you can ask for help when you are a drug addict.

  1. Collect your thoughts and write an email to the right person. Because once you do that , there is no turning back
  2. Take an appointment with a Drug Rehab Professional. Meet him and pour your heart out in front of him
  3. There are a lot of online communities where you can connect with people going through the same stuff and with professionals as well
  4. Look for someone who has suffered from the same addiction problem. Ask them what it was like to ask for  the help for the first time.
  5. Everyone has that trustworthy friend in his/her life. Go and meet that friend and discuss your problem. We are sure you will come out with some solution

What is Addiction?

When we think of drug addiction, we often think of the worst forms of it. It can be easy to judge, or ridicule someone for having an addiction as we seem to forget that substance use disorder is a mental health disorder and often times requires treatment. According to statistics from Addiction Center, nearly 21 million Americans have at least one addiction and yet as little as 10% of those battling this disorder ever seek treatment. If addiction affects such a large amount of the nation’s population, why are so few people seeking treatment?

Also Read: The Benefits of Physical Exercise during Substance Abuse Recovery

Removing Labels by Educating

Addiction/Substance Abuse disorder, just like most mental health disorders, have several misconceptions and stereotypes that most people seem to believe, unless properly educated. We live in a society that loves to place labels on others, especially negative ones. We hear terms such as druggy, lowlife, junkie, etc. to describe those with addictions before we even try to learn what may have led them to that lifestyle.

When we place such negative labels and assume the worst of those who struggle with addiction, it is not hard to imagine why they avoid asking for help. But what if we, as a society, educated ourselves on substance use disorders and addiction and the best ways to provide help and resources to those battling this disorder? What if we collectively build a safe space for these individuals to ask for and seek out the help they deserve?

How Do I Ask for Help with Addiction?

If you feel your addiction has taken over and is controlling your life, it IS time to ask for help. Admitting you have a problem is the first step. Acknowledge your addiction and ask for help. If you have someone in your life who you can talk to about your addiction (family member, friend, coworker, colleague, etc.) reach out. If anything, this person can guide you in the right direction as to where you can get the necessary help for your recovery.

Of course, however, we do not all have a support system in our lives that we can reach out to for help. Another option may be entering into one of the many addiction rehab centers that can be found a location near you. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration [SAMHSA] National Helpline (1-800-622-4357) can assist with locating the best rehab centers near you. There are rehab centers located all throughout the nation and each have different financial payment options. SAMHSA can help you find an affordable program for your specific addiction.

SAMHSA can also help to locate other Addiction Treatment Centers or Programs such as Alcoholics Anonymous or opioid addiction centers. Sites such as Addiction Center and National Institute of Drug Abuse also serve as excellent resources to gather more information about your specific addiction and options for treatment and recovery.

How to Talk to Someone with an Addiction

Addiction holds many negative connotations, therefore when talking to someone with an addiction it is crucial that we remain nonjudgmental and meet the individual where they are in their recovery and readiness to change process. Our goal should be to provide them with a safe space to speak about their addiction and provide them with resources to receive help. We want them to feel listened to and heard and not blamed, shamed, or criticized about their addiction. We must have compassion and a desire to understand the person with an addiction as this can help build trust which can eventually lead to providing more support and resources for treatment.

Remember, Addiction is a Disorder and a disorder is an illness that disrupts normal life. Substance use disorder is a mental health disorder and most likely there are co-occurring disorders involved such as anxiety or depression. When talking to someone with an addiction, allow the person involved to do most of the talking. Try to understand their story and reasons that may have led them to this addiction. Listen to understand, not just to respond.

Tips for Helping Someone with an Addiction

Unless you have dealt with an addiction yourself, it can feel difficult to try to provide help with someone battling this disorder. Remember that all you need to do is help them find the professional help they need. Simply start by educating yourself on substance use disorders. This will allow you to begin gathering information on how to be there for someone with an addiction as well as different addiction treatment centers based on the individual’s specific addiction. You can use the site SAMHSA to locate some of the best rehab centers or other treatment programs near the individual with the addiction. It is important to remain compassionate and kind while engaging with someone with an addiction, however boundaries should still be in place. Addiction is a very serious illness and can cause a person to act in ways that are out of normal character. Setting boundaries will show the individual that you are here to help them seek help and not enable the addiction further.

What to Avoid when Talking to a Loved One About Addiction

When talking to a loved one about their addiction, you should avoid:

  • Using blaming or criticizing language.
  • Making the individual feel threatened or as if they are in any sort of trouble.
  • Pushing or forcing them into treatment.

Alcohol Use Disorder is a very serious condition and can sometimes lead to fetal outcomes. If you are battling an addiction or know someone who is, contact us now at  1-877-372-0536 to learn about a variety of recovery resources available to you. Nobody should have to go through addiction alone!

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