How do you help someone climb a mountain?
For your addicted loved one, the mountain is their opioid addiction. It has run ramped for far too long and nearly obliterated everything in your loved one’s life.
When your loved one is ready to face their substance use disorder head on and finally achieve sobriety, you must remember that their recovery journey is their mountain to climb – a solo journey aimed at self-discovery, renewed happiness and personal achievement.
As your loved one’s biggest advocate, and for as much love as you possess for them, you cannot climb the mountain for them, as that would deprive them of the opportunity to achieve personal enlightenment.
You cannot drag them up the mountain, as this is their journey to complete under their own power and motivation. You cannot will them up the mountain, as they have to want to achieve the summit entirely on their own, or else the pressure and magnitude of the undertaking will surely defeat them before their journey is complete.
You can, however, contribute to a journey of this magnitude.
You can start by emboldening them to begin the journey; providing encouragement and spiritual support can be just what they need to overcome their initial fears and take the first step toward the summit.
In a sense, encouraging your addicted loved one to begin their recovery journey is akin to asking them to climb a mountain.
The task can seem overwhelming for someone struggling with an opioid addiction. Making the decision to begin the detoxification process and enter into a rehabilitation facility is the beginning of a long and arduous climb toward sobriety.
Identifying ways in which you can support your loved one before their journey begins and throughout the entirety of their trip toward recovery is essential to providing them the sober support necessary to complete their climb toward sustained sobriety.
Your Loved One Must Initiate Opioid Addiction Recovery Help
Deciding to enter into recovery is a deeply personal decision. It requires intimate personal reflection and decidedly personal motivation to recognize that an addiction has taken root and is in need of clinical intervention.
If you have come to the realization that your loved one is struggling with an opioid addiction, it is necessary to formulate a game plan before beginning a dialogue with them regarding addiction recovery.
Taking the time to research the best clinical facilities and most effective therapeutic interventions is a good place to start, but you have to temper expectations in regard to your loved one’s recovery epiphany.
Making the decision to begin their recovery journey needs to be theirs and theirs alone. Supporting them throughout the process is where you can direct all your effort.
[blogtour]How to Help an Opioid Addict During Recovery
Allowing your loved one to confront their opioid addiction and pursue the most appropriate rehabilitative facility at their own pace and volition is a necessary step.
Helping them emotionally and spiritually once their recovery journey has begun is where you should focus your efforts
After all, it is a key component to them achieving personal success and maintaining their sobriety in the long run.
These approaches to your loved one’s recovery can prove to be effective methods of providing support while also encouraging them to stay the course through their own strength and focus.
- Make Yourself Available: Simply vocalizing to your loved one that you are here for them whenever they may need you is a great way open a line of communication and show your support. While they may not call on you immediately, having that constant support and access serves as a safety net, allowing them to continue down their recovery path with increased confidence.
- Give Them Honest and Invested Feedback: Lying to your loved one about their progress during their recovery, or neglecting to hold them accountable, may seem like an act of empathy but it is not. Holding them to a higher standard of behavior and encouraging them to press toward their treatment goals is a much better approach. There is no need to be rude or demanding, but if they can’t count on you to be honest and forthright when they need accountability, their chances of relapse increase exponentially.
- Don’t Give Up on Them: The process of opioid detox and rehabilitation is a demanding journey. There are bound to be stumbles and falls along the way, so preparing yourself for these inevitable setbacks is essential. It is at these moments when your loved one will need you most, to show them patience, love and encouragement. Remember, you can’t climb the mountain for them, but you can pick them up if they fall down.
There is no shortcut to recovery from opioid addiction. Achieving sobriety requires patience and accountability, both of which you can show your loved one as they work toward a happier and healthier lifestyle.
Remembering that it is their journey to initiate and complete is important to the longevity of their sobriety and personal success. There is a fine line between showing support and enabling addictive behaviors.
By allowing your loved one to progress at their own pace, and experience hardships along the way, you are facilitating their ability to learn and grow from their mistakes. This approach strengthens their resolve and improves their chances of achieving personal success throughout the entirety of their recovery process.
Holistic Opioid Addiction Treatment at Ranch Creek Recovery
You want the absolute best for your loved one, and we understand how crucial it is for you to help your loved one get clean and stay sober.
If they are ready to get help, or you are seeking insights from addiction recovery experts, Ranch Creek Recovery can help. Learn more about our renowned, holistic opioid drug rehab program or contact us today to get your questions answered about rehab and our approach.
