Are you concerned for a loved one?
It is very difficult to watch someone you care about suffering. This could be from an addiction such as drugs or alcohol or gambling, or over-spending or a number of other things. So what can we do? Do we just wait for them to ask for help or do we approach them and talk to them about our concerns?
Anyone that has been in this position knows this is not a straight forward answer. It depends a lot on the kind of relationship you have with the person, where the person is at. That is are they ready to acknowledge their addiction or are they still living in denial. It is true that it is very difficult to help someone when they do not want it or are not ready for it. Hence when someone approaches you and says they are struggling, that is a great time to do something about it. Do not wait. If you wait, there is a risk that this time will pass and you will not get the opportunity for some time.
One of the things that people need to know is that no one can control what someone else is doing, however that does not mean we do nothing. Some of the things that we can do are as follows:_
Seek counselling for ourselves in learning how to manage our own feelings and emotions around it.
- Seek out information in relation to the loved one’s problem. For example, if someone has a drug addiction, get as much information as you can in relation to drug addiction as you can. Locate phone numbers that they can call when they feel they need help. Find out where a detox center is and what the process is to get them into one. Learn about how rehabilitation works and where they are and how much they cost etc.
Apply the same principal of no 2 to any problem.
