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Confronting a Drug Abuser

Confronting a drug abuser about their substance abuse problem can often be an extremely difficult thing to do, but it could potentially be a life-saving measure. When you have finally made up your mind that you are finally going to intervene on behalf of a loved one in relation to a substance abuse problem, it is important to be sure that this meeting goes as well as possible. It is important for the person that is confronting a drug abuser to know that individuals who are chemically dependent will commonly have a tendency towards emotional instability; this is because abusing large amounts of drugs for a long period of time will alter an addict's brain chemistry, which may cause them to act out in irrational or violent ways. Of course, many times the person who is being intervened upon is not even consciously aware that they have developed a substance abuse problem; it is important to be aware of this being the case, as it could make a huge difference in how you should go about confronting a drug abuser.

A person who is confronting a drug abuser should be very careful about every aspect of the intervention process, in order to be sure that the meeting does not make the addict feel like they are being criticized or attacked on a personal level. Every person that is involved in the process of confronting a drug abuser about their substance abuse problem should be prepared to tell the addict that they love them and care about them; additionally, their sole motivation for being present needs to be help the addict to get treatment. If at all possible, every person that is involved with the process of confronting a drug abuser should take some time to try to imagine being in the addicts shoes; taking this step will often add a much higher level of compassion to this tremendously difficult process.

Listed below are some helpful tips that you can use when confronting a drug abuser:

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Prior to confronting a drug abuser, a person should take the time to become educated about the harmful effects of drug addiction; this can be accomplished through doing some research on the internet. When it comes time to actually confronting a drug abuser, you may have the opportunity to present some of these facts to them in a calm and objective way, which could help to create a sense of urgency in relation to them accepting treatment; remember, don't express any of your personal judgments about their substance abuse problem, just calmly share what you have learned in the course of your research.

When confronting a drug abuser about their substance abuse problem, it is especially important to be careful in terms of selecting the individuals that will assist in this delicate process; every person that is allowed to attend this meeting needs to be able to come from a place of compassion and genuine concern for the addict. If any loved ones that served as enablers to the addict wish be involved in the process of confronting a drug abuser, they need to be made aware of how they unknowingly aided the person in their addiction and how damaging that this behavior has been to the person with the substance abuse problem; it is at this point that an enabler must begin to acknowledge their destructive behavior and commit to making healthy changes. If an enabler cannot make a commit to making immediate changes in regard to the the way that they relate to the addict, they should not be involved with confronting the drug abuser, as they could potentially contaminate the entire process.

Be careful to think before you speak when confronting a drug abuser and write down all of the things that you would like to say to the addict before the meeting take place; this will help you to stick to a script, so that you will not end up saying something that you may regret. Be sure not to make your presentation to long, and try to get all of your points across in the most loving and non-judgmental way that is possible. One of the best scenarios is when loved ones choose to confront a drug abuser shortly after their addiction has caused them a great deal of problems; thus, the addict will be much more likely to recognize that they have a serious addiction, because these painful episodes are likely to still be fresh in their minds.

Before confronting a drug abuser, reach out for the assistance of a quality drug treatment center, and have a rehabilitation plan firmly in place. This will make it possible for the addict to go to the drug rehab facility for treatment, immediately after the confrontation take place. Be sure to take care of every detail that is related to this process, before confronting a drug abuser; this includes packing and making the necessary travel arrangements and covering all of the drug treatment costs.

When confronting a drug abuser, discuss all of your concerns with the individual instead of lecturing them. A good way to start a conversation in this regard is to ask the person if they believe that they have a substance abuse problem. It is important to be aware, that if the person is in denial about their drug or alcohol addiction problem, they may become defensive; it is extremely important that you do not react, but instead, respond to them in a calm and rational way. If they are in denial, it is a good time to calmly discuss the most recent problems that their drug use has created; on the other hand if they admit that they have a substance abuse problem, immediately offer them the professional drug treatment that they so desperately need.

After confronting a drug abuser, if they are resistant to the idea of getting the professional help they need, each person that is present should be prepared to discuss with the addict in detail what the consequences of this decision will be.

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