Talking to a loved one who has a substance abuse problem is never easy. Whether it’s alcohol or drugs, your loved one needs help and a lot of times addicts can’t identify their problem, so it’s up to you help them. Even if you’re not an expert in the field, you should talk to your loved one and convince them to seek professional help. Fortunately, there are a few good strategies that have proven to be successful in helping you achieve that goal.
5 Tips for Talking to Someone with an Addiction Problem
- Talk to your loved when they are sober. It may feel like your loved one is always going out and getting drunk or getting high, but you need to take the time to choose a sober moment to have your big conversation.
- Keep a level head. This may be one of the most emotionally challenging experiences of your life, but it’s important to stay strong and confident in your tone and cadence. Remember, you want to get across the message that this is a serious conversation and something that could change the course of your relationship if they don’t take it seriously.
- Never judge your loved one. While you’re having this very deep and intimate conversation, they may decide to open up about their habits and past actions. It’s important to keep that momentum, don’t judge their actions because they will probably start to feel uncomfortable and shut down the conversation entirely, this will get you nowhere.
- Honesty will go a long way during this conversation. When you’re describing how their addiction affects you personally, make sure your emotions are honest and clear. They need to know that they’re not only negatively impacting your life as well as theirs. This way, they will understand the gravity of this talk and begin to take what you say to heart.
- Start thinking about hosting an intervention. This conversation is rarely enough to turn their addiction around. You may need to consider an intervention if your conversation doesn’t work. They may need to hear these thoughts and opinions from other people that are close to them in order to finally take their problem seriously.
This talk is never easy, but it’s something that needs to happen in order for them to start paying attention to their negative actions and substance abuse.