Posted by Tony Bylsma on July 2, 2010 under How to Help a Drug Addict | 
If you have an addict in the family, you are certainly aware that bringing up the subject of dealing with the addiction is like playing with fireworks in a burning house. They blow up more often than not.
What is the real cause of this? On the surface it looks like they are “just touchy” on the subject. But saying they are just touchy doesn’t lead to a solution. Why are they so sensitive? How can you get around the booby-traps in the conversation and have a real, to-the-point discussion of the problem?
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Posted by Tony Bylsma on June 21, 2010 under How to Help a Drug Addict |
With drug addiction, you should not waste a crisis. 
I’m not trying to be political here, but when the addict has an “episode”, meaning they’ve been arrested, or overdosed or crashed the car while stoned, something that brings the consequences of drug abuse home to them, it can serve to raise their awareness of what the drugs are truly doing to them and how bad the situation has become.
While they were stoned, thinking that all was fine, they were actually much less aware of the truth of their situation. But when something like a car accident or worse occurs, now they take a look at what they’ve been up to and how risky their behavior has been. This is a time when the addicted person will be more able to make a good decision regarding their future actions; they are more likely to seek professional help while the consequences of addiction to drugs are undeniable and staring them right in the face.
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Posted by Tony Bylsma on February 14, 2010 under How to Help a Drug Addict |
The addict must be engaged. This is job one. You have to get the person into a clean communication with you or you will accomplish nothing.
To get the addict comfortable and speaking candidly can be a challenge. It’s hard enough to gain that confidence when he feels comfortable. To get it when he feels threatened? You’re wasting valuable time. Anger has no place in a constructive relationship.
Try to keep it clear that you and he are working together to overcome his destructive tendencies, the addiction, the mistakes. It is not you against him. It is you and him against the addiction.
If you have an addict in the family, you are certainly aware that bringing up the subject of dealing with the addiction is like playing with fireworks in a burning house. They blow up more often than not.
