Motivating A Dear One During Their Addiction Recovery Journey
These seven solid tips will help you motivate both you and your loved ones during the addiction recovery journey. Follow them thoroughly!
Addiction doesn’t just affect the person who is struggling with it, but also the people close to them.
When you love someone and they become addicted to drugs or alcohol, motivation may be hard for them to find.
This blog post will explore how you can motivate a dear one during addiction recovery in ways that are effective and genuine.
Finding Motivation During The Addiction Recovery Journey
Here are a few tried and tested tips to help you motivate your loved one during his/her addiction recovery journey:
1. Know How To Talk With Them
You need to be careful around recovering addicts, and beware that what you’re saying can have a huge impact on them.
You should learn some effective addiction recovery quotes to help them through the tough times as your words will surely help them stay strong with their chin up while battling their demons.
These quotes can be a great way of showing that you support your loved one in their journey to sobriety while also knowing when and where to draw the line.
It’s essential that you avoid phrases that might accidentally belittle or discourage them from seeking help.
Phrases like “you don’t have to do this“, “I’ll always be here for you” or “just give up already” will only make things worse and should be avoided at all costs!
2. Support Through All The Steps
If you start, you need to stay there and support the recovering addict through all the steps. Otherwise, you will not be able to help them get through it and they may go back to using again.
The addict is going to feel really bad throughout the process of detox. So stay by their side no matter what needs to take place in order for recovery efforts to work out successfully.
After rehab has ended, support your loved one as they transition into their new life without drugs by:
- Helping with scheduling activities where people who use drugs do not frequent too often (avoid concerts, bars, etc.),
- Providing positive reinforcement when they make good decisions;
- And being available to talk whenever they need it.
Living a healthy lifestyle is key to preventing relapse so join them in doing things that promote sobriety as a family. This can include going for walks, hiking, biking, playing sports together, and eating nutritious meals.
3. Ask Them How They Are
It’s always easier to let some steamy youth encourage the recovering addict to open up to you.
Ask them how they are and follow up by asking about any potential triggers or cravings that have appeared since the last time you spoke with them.
If there is a slip, be gentle in your approach but firm on the consequences of continuing to use drugs/alcohol for this addict’s situation.
If someone tells you everything is fine when it isn’t, try asking what would make things better instead of saying life will get easier with recovery.
5. Help Them Find A New Source Of Fulfillment
Occupational therapy is a crucial part of addiction recovery, as it can help individuals find new and healthier ways to fulfill themselves. This is an important step in motivating them to stay on track with their recovery journey.
There are many different types of occupational therapy available, so finding one that appeals to your loved one is key. Here are some ideas for fulfillment:
- Sports;
- Art;
- Music;
- Dancing;
- Fishing;
- Gardening;
- Cooking;
- Carpentry;
- Teaching others about addiction recovery or related topics.
If your loved one is struggling with addiction, finding a new source of fulfillment can be a powerful motivator for them.
Occupational therapy can help identify interests and talents that the individual may not have realized they possessed.
Encouraging your loved ones to explore these new possibilities can give them something to look forward to during their rehabilitation process.
6. Set Boundaries And Consequences
You need to make sure that you’re not going to be an enabler for your dear one’s addiction. Make sure that they know there will be consequences if they continue down this path.
Setting boundaries and consequences mean setting clear rules for your dear one that you will not tolerate their addiction any longer.
You can set certain guidelines with the help of a therapist, such as setting up a curfew time, cutting off financial support, or limiting time spent together to name a few examples.
Setting these kinds of boundaries has been shown to be effective in helping those struggling with addiction have more success going through recovery.
7. Stay Patient
You need to understand they’re going through a hard time, so don’t give up on them!
Recovery takes time and there will be bumps in the road, but staying patient is one of the most effective ways to motivate someone you love during their addiction recovery journey.
Continue to encourage them, offer support, and be there for them when they need it, even if they don’t always make the best decisions.
They’ll appreciate your dedication and determination in helping them get through this tough time.
The Takeaway
Motivating a recovering addict is not an easy job, but if you know what to tell them and support them through the steps it’s going to be easier.
Make sure to ask them how they’re doing and help them find a hobby to take their mind off the detox and its side effects.
Also, let them know there will be consequences for bad behavior and stay patient with them because they’ll need a strong hand to hold them. Good luck to both of you!
