HOW TO HELP A DRUG ADDICT: 10 IMPORTANT TIPS - ARTE - 2025

If you want to know how to help a drug addict, in this article I will give you 10 tips to know how to act and what is the most important thing you can do. Having a friend, family member or loved one with a substance abuse or drug addiction problem is a complex situation, although it can be solved.

The first and most important thing to know is that a drug addict has an addiction; your brain is adapted to certain substances and when you don't have them it reacts. When you do not consume the substance you feel discomfort, and to return to feeling well-being or normality, you need to consume.

For example, if someone is addicted to cocaine, after several hours without consuming they will feel discomfort and to return to normal they need to consume. The more addicted a person is, the more they need to consume to feel normal, and even more to feel pleasure.

Therefore, a person addicted to drugs has a real problem and needs help to get out of it. Not just willpower, but social and professional support.

Tips to help someone who uses drugs

1-Look for information

Sometimes it is difficult to tell whether a person is using drugs or not. If you find burnt sheets of paper, spoons, syringes, pipes or pieces of aluminum foil, these could be signs of the use of different drugs.

Other symptoms that may indicate problematic substance use include:

Sudden mood swings

Abandonment, inactivity.

Sleep disturbances

Agitation, nervousness.

Increased expenses, loss of possessions.

Red eyes, dilated or constricted pupils.

Frequent nosebleeds

Look for detailed information on the signs and symptoms of drug use, to know if your friend, family member or partner is really using. Watch their behavior closely for a few days or weeks to see if there really is a problem.

It may be helpful to talk to other family members or friends about your suspicions, to speak directly to this person you love so much (I'll tell you how to do it later), or to consult a professional with knowledge of substance abuse for an opinion objective about this situation.

2-Try to correctly assess the problem

You may wonder if this person so dear to you really has a problem with alcohol or other drugs, or if you are actually exaggerating and inventing a drama where there is none.

If you notice that this person is having problems in family relationships, in the relationship, at work, with studies or is in a difficult economic situation, if they have had problems with the law or have low self-esteem, then you are not exaggerating: drug use is becoming a serious problem that can negatively affect your life.

3-Don't wait for the problem to get worse

Many books, magazines, and movies show situations where the drug addict actually “hits rock bottom” before getting help to get out of his problem.

However, this is a myth. You should not wait until the situation is terribly serious before you can help the drug addict. Research shows that early identification of the problem and early treatment is the best solution.

Early identification and early treatment means that you don't have to wait for a person to drop out of school, lose a job, have a serious health problem, or become separated from their family because of their addiction to act and start helping. You have to offer help at the first symptoms.

People tend to recover more quickly if they get help and treatment early.

4-Don't wait for me to ask for help

This strategy is very dangerous. Many drug addicts do not seek help until their addiction has become a really serious problem.

Do you really want to see how this beloved person loses his job, suffers a traffic accident, or ruins his health? If you do not ask for help yourself, then the addiction will continue to worsen, and the close environment of the drug addict will also suffer greatly.

You cannot deny that there is a problem. You must face this situation and help your loved one to give up drugs, before the use ruins her life and also that of her family.

If the situation comes where you have tried everything and your loved one does not allow themselves to be helped, you will have to make the decision to maintain that relationship or not in case it is harming you.

5-Find support for yourself

In order to help a drug addict, you will first need to have a great emotional stability, a lot of calm and an assertive communication style, as you will have to face denials, arguments, threats, crises and various relapses.

Seek support from psychotherapy or support groups for family members of addicts. There you will find help for yourself and also tools that you can use to help your loved one overcome the problem of drug use.

6-Speak clearly and calmly

You may be afraid to strike up a conversation with the person you want to help. You may fear that the talk will lead to an argument, a violent scene, or a hasty decision to leave home or school.

However, a calm, calm conversation, without reproaches, insults, or blame, can be a very rewarding experience.

Perhaps the drug addict has not yet noticed that his behavior is problematic, that it is negatively influencing his life and the people in his close environment.

To talk to the addict about his problem and that the talk has a positive result, remember that:

• You should not start a conversation when the person you want to help (or you) is under the influence of alcohol or other drugs. Drugs can reduce logical reasoning skills and make a person feel impatient, angry, or guilty. You may find it difficult to control your impulses and you may act irrationally or violently.
• Set a time for the talk where you both have enough time to talk without interruption. The idea is to have a dialogue, that is, an exchange of ideas where you will express your concern about this issue and the other person will express their opinion on it.
• Begin the talk by explaining that you feel worried about the situation because of your affection for them. Emphasize on the idea that this concern for their well-being is the main reason for this conversation.
• Explain clearly what are the behaviors that concern you, what are the attitudes that are having negative consequences on his life, in relation to the continued consumption of alcohol or other drugs. For example, tardies to work, problems in studies, neglect in personal care, etc.
• Listen to what he has to say to you. Do not put yourself as a victim of this situation and do not blame the other person, do not judge or adjective.
• If your loved one denies there is a problem, tell them that you would like to talk about this again in the future. Your goal is not to convince him that he has a drug use problem, but to let him know that you think there is one and that you are concerned about the behavior he is having and its negative consequences.
• Don't expect an immediate change in attitude. This may be the first time your loved one has thought about this problem.

Experts recommend that every time you talk to the addict, you repeat the same message: “I care about you because I love you, and I would like you to seek help to get out of this problem, this situation that not only affects you, but also the people who love you ”.

7-Take measurements

If the situation worsens, you can take action. But the moment you tell him what you plan to do, you must be convinced that you will comply with what you say, it should not be just threats.

For example, you can tell the drug addict that he will not be allowed into the home if he is under the influence of drugs. Or that you will not give him more money until he decides to seek professional help to stop using.

You must comply with what you say to the letter, because otherwise your words will lose credibility. In addition, it is good that the addict begins to notice the negative consequences of his behavior.

If you protect him or allow him certain attitudes, these consequences will be less noticeable and will not help him to become aware of the seriousness of the problem.

8-Search and offer possible treatments

When the word treatment is mentioned, you might envision a prolonged admission for detox.

While this is a common option, there are many treatment possibilities that are tailored to the different physical, psychological, social, and emotional circumstances of the addict.

The most appropriate treatment for each case also depends on the severity of the problem.

Look in your environment for the different treatment possibilities that exist for drug addiction cases, to be able to offer concrete help to your loved one in the next conversation.

9-Organize an intervention

When a group of people close to the addict meet with him to discuss drug use, it is said to be an intervention. They can be family, co-workers or friends, for example.

All people should speak calmly about the specific behaviors that are causing them concern.

Facing the addict in a group can have a greater impact. The intervention can be performed by everyone at the same time in the same place or on different days, over a couple of weeks.

Something important is to clearly explain to the addict what are the worrisome attitudes and taking advantage of the moment to offer a telephone number or an address of a professional in the area or a rehabilitation center where they can seek help.

10-do not expect magical results

Addiction is a chronic disease and as such it can be controlled and healing requires a long process.

Therefore, relapses are normal. Quitting drugs is a long and difficult road, but not impossible. Don't expect quick results and that relapses don't put you off.

Offering help, love, and support to a loved one with a drug problem can be a difficult task.

Follow these tips, do your best, and don't feel guilty.

If you can help this person you love so much, welcome, but if he decides to continue in his illness, at least you will have done everything possible to help him.

And what are you doing to help someone addicted?