Informative Essay On Addiction

1033 Words3 Pages

You likely experience varying emotions dealing with the addict. One moment you fear the addict may die of an overdose; a moment later, you are angry because the addict is wasting money on drugs, sleeping in late, or refusing to work. It’s frustrating and painful to watch helplessly as someone you care about falls prey to the negative and possibly catastrophic consequences of addiction.
While the addict deals with the consequences of addiction, your struggles are just as important and deserve attention. Here are ways to help you cope with the stress of dealing with the addict:

Expand Your Knowledge of Addiction. Topics Covered in the Next Several Chapters Include:
• Why and how addiction develops.
• Why addicts continue to use despite the mounting …show more content…

Referral to a physician for medication can be helpful if you are struggling with anxiety or depression.
Attend Support Programs
Nar-Anon (http://www.nar-anon.org) and Al-Anon (http://www.al-anon.org) are valuable support programs for family and friends of addicts. Virtually everyone in attendance is dealing with similar emotional struggles related to an addict’s inappropriate behavior.
The topics are varied and far-reaching. A common topic is that you may believe you are at fault for the person becoming an addict, refusing to stop using, or refusing to seek treatment. Other topics include recognizing and coming to terms with your fears, guilt, anger, and feelings of helplessness. Enabling and codependence are commonly discussed. Solutions that worked for others may surface.
The support these programs provide is invaluable.
These programs teach that while you can encourage and support the addict, you are not responsible for the poor choices the addict makes.
An extensive list of support programs is available at http://bit.ly/1QHfwcp. You can read about the topics discussed at Nar-Anon meetings at …show more content…

However, addiction is that very illness. Addiction somehow changes thinking from rational to irrational. The irrationality worsens as the addiction deepens in severity. What seems obvious to most everyone may have little meaning or make little sense to the addict. Don’t expect the addict to think rationally.
Arguing may not get you anywhere.
Develop Healthy Behaviors
Learn ways to take better care of yourself. Exercise, healthy eating habits, establishing regular sleeping patterns, and associating with others who also want to become healthier are essential attributes of taking care of oneself.
You cannot help the addict if you are not properly taking care of yourself.
Develop Appropriate Expectations
All medical illnesses have a range of severity from mild to severe. Becoming well is usually easier to achieve for illnesses with milder symptoms, at times without medical intervention. An example is hypertension (high blood pressure). Lifestyle changes, such as losing weight, reducing salt, and exercising, can often correct mild hypertension without medications. Severe hypertension may require treatment with several medications and may still not produce the desired

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