Can Drugs Affect Your Mental Health?

Can Drugs Affect Your Mental Health? Find out some ways they can’t or can.

 

It can be difficult and frustrating trying to help an alcoholic who refuses treatment. They don’t believe anything is wrong. Others don’t think they’re sick. 

Usually, this only aggravates the pain and burden.

Good news, you can do something if a loved one refuses help. That includes seeking professional intervention, such as from America’s rehab campuses. 

Read on as we tackle helpful ways you can handle the situation:

Don’t Shame or Blame

Shaming or blaming has an equal effect: pushing your loved one away. The use of ultimatums, guilt trips, and lectures is a no. For example, statements like, “How could you do this to me?”

Blame makes people defensive. It has the equivalent effect of aggravating the shame and guilt they already feel and can trigger resentment and more substance abuse.

When addressing an addicted loved one, use phrases like “I,” which are more effective. 

Avoid “you” terminologies. For instance, “You are ruining our family.” Instead, “I feel concerned about our family’s struggles.”

Set Firm Boundaries

Boundaries can be as simple as restricting drugs or alcohol around your compound or family. This is helpful because you refrain from backing up their habit with your behavior. It might be unclear whether the things that feel like love and support are the ones perpetuating a loved one’s substance abuse.

Healthy boundaries help you communicate clearly. They offer room for valuing your needs and desires and caring for yourself. Additionally, they impose control and stability on the situation. Here are a few more boundaries you might set.”

• Should they get arrested, you’re not paying for bail or a lawyer
• You won’t lie to protect them
• You won’t trade your loved one safety for their sake
• They cannot invite their fellow addicts into your home or compound.

Be Patient

In a difficult situation where a loved one has refused help, it’s vital to practice patience and self-compassion. This offers enough room to digest the situation. 

Most people want the best for their alcohol-addicted loved ones. When they refuse help, you are more likely to become frustrated and blame yourself. Instead, be patient. 

This means giving them enough space and time to make up their mind. You also want to allow yourself to connect with them. The key is to practice loving detachment—separating yourself from the problem, controlling one’s reaction, not controlling the outcome. This is ideal if you want to portray self-love and love for others. 

Seek Professional Intervention

An intervention is a wake-up call for a loved one who refuses treatment. It’s an incredible way of expressing deep-felt concern about a loved one’s drug and alcohol abuse. 

You can gather important people in your loved one’s life and set up a meeting. For the best results, you can enlist the extra help of a professional interventionist. They can help you plan the intervention, tackle hectic conversations (that must possibly take place), and debunk possible myths about recovery. They’ll aim to address any hesitation to recovery. They will also recommend suitable treatment centers in case your loved one agrees to treatment.

Help Is Available

Convincing an alcoholic to opt for recovery treatment (when they deny this help) can be challenging. It’s still up to the alcoholic to decide, but encouraging that action is helpful. Use the above tips to steer your loved one toward recovery.