Supporting someone who is struggling with substance abuse is never easy but is especially difficult when they are in recovery and at risk of a relapse. You’ve seen someone you care about fight to become sober and put their life back together, only to see it all undone. It’s heartbreaking and frustrating, but you still need to provide support in any way that you can. Addiction is a disease, one that your loved one will live with for the rest of their life even if they never touch drugs and alcohol again. The temptation to use will always be there, which is why relapses are so common among those in recovery.
If you want to support someone who is relapsing or at risk of a relapse, the most important thing is that you don’t judge them. It might be tempting to get angry and lash out, but that will only make things worse. What you should do is accept that recovery from substance abuse is difficult and that relapses happen. Once you understand that, you can start to identify anything that could trigger a relapse. Maybe your loved one is feeling stressed from work or school, or maybe they spent some time with an old friend who encouraged them to start using again. In any case, you should make a list of potential triggers and help your loved ones avoid them whenever they can.
If your loved one does relapse, ask them if there is anything that you can do to help them. While it is ultimately up to them to become clean and sober, there are still things that you can do to help them until they get there. That could be as simple as spending time with them and engaging in activities to take their mind off of their cravings, or it could mean taking them to a treatment center. Avoid preaching to them and giving advice; that is never as helpful as people think.
As always, if you or a loved one is struggling with addiction or at risk of a relapse, know that you don’t have to go through it alone. Contact a drug and alcohol treatment center near you for advice on how to become and stay sober.