How to Offer Support and Guidance After a Loved One’s Relapse
Watching a loved one relapse is an extremely challenging experience, but it’s important not to feel helpless. Understand that addiction is a complex struggle and relapse is a common setback on the way to recovery. As a friend or family member, your support is essential right now. Your guidance can play an important role in your loved one’s recovery process, so do what you can to foster an environment of empathy and understanding. Centered Recovery Programs is here to share a few practical steps on how to offer support and guidance after a loved one’s relapse.
Research Treatment Options
Finding the right rehab center can make a huge difference in the success of your loved one’s treatment. Help your loved one evaluate their treatment options and find a solution that aligns with their specific needs. For example, if they aren’t interested in 12-step-based recovery, Centered Recovery Programs offer mindfulness-based substance abuse treatment to meet their needs. Be sure to review the types of treatment offered and read patient testimonials to ensure you find the best rehab center for your loved one.
Encourage Holistic Solutions
Holistic solutions for addiction present opportunities for individuals to take a comprehensive approach to well-being. Instead of focusing solely on the symptoms of addiction, holistic approaches recognize the interconnectedness of physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual factors contributing to relapse.
These holistic solutions may include evidence-based therapies, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), combined with complementary practices like mindfulness, meditation, yoga, exercise, and nutrition. Encouraging your loved one to explore these holistic practices can help them gain a better understanding of their triggers and develop healthy coping mechanisms to prevent relapse in the future.
Encourage Them to Seek Supportive Friendships
Supporting a loved one after a relapse involves more than just emotional encouragement; it’s also about helping them rebuild a strong social support system. One way to do this is by encouraging them to reconnect with old classmates and friends. These connections can provide a sense of familiarity and comfort, offering a positive influence and a network of support during their recovery journey.
To facilitate this, suggest that they use an online high school database. These databases allow users to look up old friends and acquaintances, making it easier to re-establish contact. Rekindling these relationships can play a significant role in their recovery process, offering a sense of belonging and community. These old connections might also share similar experiences or provide the motivation and accountability your loved one needs, contributing positively to their path to recovery.
Help with Stress Management
Stress and addiction are closely linked. According to GoodRx Health, stress is a risk factor for both addiction and relapse, especially for those exposed to chronic stress. Addictive substances often provide temporary relief from stress, anxiety, and depression but do nothing to address stress directly. In fact, substance use can cause changes in the brain that make us more susceptible to stress.
Help your loved one come up with a stress management plan to make the recovery process easier. For example, spending time in nature, exercising, making time for enjoyable activities, and connecting with loved ones are all activities known to reduce stress.
Educate Yourself
The better you understand your loved one’s addiction, the more you’ll be able to help. Verywell Mind explains that educating yourself is key to communicating with your loved one effectively. Seek reliable medical sources to learn about your loved one’s addiction and try to understand their point of view. This can help you avoid accusatory language or implicit blame when communicating your desire to help.
Identify Gaps in Their Recovery Network
Evaluate your loved one’s existing support system and recovery network, looking for gaps that may leave them vulnerable to relapse. Try to identify potential triggers and negative influences in their network. You can also help them seek out positive, supportive relationships and communities that align with their recovery goals. Offer to accompany your loved one to activities where they can connect with like-minded individuals. By actively supporting their efforts to distance themselves from negative social connections, you can help create an environment that supports your loved one’s recovery.
When someone is dealing with a relapse, the support and guidance of a loved one can make all the difference in their recovery. You can lend a hand to your loved one by helping them research rehab centers, develop healthy stress management strategies, and build a solid recovery network. With your unwavering support, you can help your loved one regain their footing!
For mindfulness-based non-12 step substance abuse treatment, visit Centered Recovery Programs today!
Lucille Rosetti is a mental health guest blogger from TheBereaved.org.
info@thebereaved.org
