How to Help Someone Overcome Addiction in Illinois

Published on: 17 May 2022 Last Updated on: 13 May 2023

It’s never easy watching someone you care about go through something like addiction.

Many times, people in this situation watch the person they care about to deteriorate and become a different person.

If you think your loved one is addicted but you’re not sure, be on the lookout for these warning signs.

Their behavior has changed. You notice them becoming more withdrawn, angry, combative, or abusive towards you.
You notice them becoming obsessive
They’re hiding things from you. Maybe you found needles or empty vodka bottles under their bed or in their bathroom
They’ve come home bruised or beaten up but won’t tell you what happened
They aren’t sleep
They slur their words
They’re losing weight or their outward appearance has changed for the worse.

If your loved one shows any of these signs, there’s a good chance they might be addicted. If you’re watching someone you love spiral into addiction, there are ways you can help to overcome addiction. Here’s how.

6 Ways To Someone You Know Overcome Addiction In Illinois

1. Call your local rehab center

Places like Lincoln Recovery or your local hospital are a great resource for you to tap into. They’ll be able to help you determine the best treatment options for your loved one without making you or them feel ashamed. They’ll be able to give you advice and tools. They can also help you plan something called an intervention.

An intervention is when family and friends of the addict’s life come together to make their loved one understand that they need help. Interventions must be planned so they don’t cause more problems. While it’s going to be awkward and uncomfortable, an intervention that’s done right can gently push your loved one on the path to recovery.

2. Establish trust

This is a huge thing. Often trust is broken between addicts and the people they love the most, and while it may be difficult to achieve, getting them to trust you is so important. Otherwise and intervention won’t work properly.

To start building trust with an addict, you have to learn not to nag, yell, exaggerate, lecture, or engage in any substances they’re addicted to. Asking them to stop drinking when they see you drinking, even if it’s only a small glass of wine at night, can make them defensive.

Trust will also help prevent stress. If they trust you more, they’ll be less stressed and feel more comfortable opening up to you about their addiction. Most addicts know they have a problem deep down, they just don’t want to admit it out loud and make it real. Don’t do anything that will keep them from opening up to you about it.

Watch their body language to help you determine if your attempts at trust-building are working. If you notice them growing stiff or becoming agitated pull back and try again another time.

3. Never blame

Even if the person who’s addicted made you lose money, your reputation, etc. do not try to blame them for it. While they need to take responsibility for their behavior, blaming them for things while they’re addicted will get you nowhere. It will only make them more resistant to change, defensive, and closed off.

Speak in the first person, only about how you feel or what you think. Whenever you talk to them about their addiction, use “I” statements. “You” statements can come across as blameful and can do the opposite of what you hope to achieve in the conversation.

Avoid insults and negativity at all costs because that is the blameful language that will make them defensive. For more information on using “I” statements, click here.

4. Always practice empathy

You see how dangerous it is to blame the addict in any way, either for their addiction or their behavior. Leading with empathy, whether your staging an intervention or not, can help the addict feel more comfortable and open up.

Tell them that you understand they’re hurting, and while you don’t know what they’re going through firsthand, you’re there to help in any way you can. You want to be a part of the solution.

Offer assistance in any way you can. By doing this, you might find that the person has been waiting for someone to talk to them about it but has been too afraid to bring it up themselves.

5. Prepare for backlash

What you have to understand is that addiction affects the chemical balance of the brain. This can make them delusional, combative, or standoffish. They may outright refuse to admit they’re addicted to anything and if they do, they might turn the blame on you.

Addicts try to get out of responsibility, and taking responsibility for their addiction is another thing they’re going to try to dance around. Prepare for harsh words, yelling, and threats. Stay calm and listen to everything they have to say.

Don’t engage in yelling or screaming or try to push the blame back on them. It will only make the situation worse. If you feel like you’re in danger, remove yourself from the situation or call the police.

6. Stop enabling

If you’re allowing the person you love to do drugs in your house or get drunk in your house, stop. Tell them that they aren’t allowed to do that in your home anymore and if they refuse, ask them to leave. It sounds harsh, but they have to learn that there are consequences to their actions.

Stop buying them their substance of choice. Practice sobriety yourself so you don’t have alcohol or drugs lying around the house for them to consume. If they frequently borrow your car, remove car privileges so they can’t drive under the influence. Refuse to give them cash. If they say they need a few bucks for food, buy them actual food or not at all. But never give them cash or cards that they can use to purchase drugs or alcohol.

While this might seem like you’re not leading with empathy, you are. You don’t have to be mean about doing any of these things. You can simply say, “I don’t want you driving my car under the influence, it’s not safe.” Or “I can’t give you cash, but I can buy you food, water, groceries,” if that’s what you want to do. Just avoid putting the blame or accusing them of anything.

To learn the difference between helping and enabling, follow the link. https://www.verywellmind.com/how-to-stop-enabling-an-alcoholic-63083

Read Also:

Content Rally

Content Rally wrapped around an online publication where you can publish your own intellectuals. It is a publishing platform designed to make great stories by content creators. This is your era, your place to be online. So come forward share your views, thoughts and ideas via Content Rally.

View all posts

If you’ve reached a weight loss plateau, fix your sleep

Trying to lose weight but it’s not working? Yes, we understand your frustration. You are just zeroing into what exactly is hampering your weight loss, but all in vain. You are doing all the right workouts and you are following a strict diet. Then what’s going wrong?! It is natural and obvious to blame your workout regime or your diet. But sometimes, none of them are real issues. While you are busy choosing between following a new work out session and changing your diet, you probably don’t give a second thought to the most crucial part of the day- sleep! And you’re not the only one; many fail to understand the importance of sleep. It is the key that boosts your reward for the diet and fitness efforts. It’s almost too easy to relate and connect the dots, considering the statistic for obesity and those who suffer from sleep deprivation. So what happens when you get less sleep? When you have had a bad night of sleep, you tend to wake up exhausted, dazed and a little grumpy. The truth is that apart from your body and brain, it is also your fat cells that respond in a similar way. When deprived of sleep, you suffer from “metabolic grogginess.” The hormones that control your fat cells may respond aggressively when you are sleep deprived. Your body’s ability to use insulin (the master storage hormone) declines drastically and eventually gets disrupted. Fat cells start removing the fatty acids and lipids from your bloodstream and prevent storage when insulin stops functioning. The fats start to circulate in your blood and pump out more insulin. The excess insulin starts storing all the fat and that too in all the wrong places. This means fat gets accumulated in tissues like your liver. This is how you tend to become fat and get diabetes. Take your time to do the research and find more detailed advice on crafting a smart, healthy sleep regimen, from choosing a good mattress to organizing around your sleep needs (our favorite source of sleep tips, reviews and tips is TheSleepStudies.com). If you are tired, you are going to start craving for more food! Your hunger is controlled by two major hormones; leptin (produced in your fat cells) and ghrelin. If your body produces less leptin, the more likely your stomach will feel empty. And the more ghrelin your body produces, your more a subjective feeling of hunger will be simulated. This happens although you would be trying to increase the number of calories you burn. So, in turn, this increases the fat that is stored in your body. Sleep deprivation makes it impossible for you to control the leptin and ghrelin production in your body. Also, when you don’t get enough sleep, the cortisol levels rise in your body. And you already know that the loss of sleep causes your body to produce more ghrelin. A deadly combination of high ghrelin and cortisol levels shuts down those parts of your brain that make you feel full and satisfied after a meal. This means you will be hungry all the time! More injury, the more rest you need Your reflexes also take a toll when you are sleep deprived. Your judgment is impaired and you may not be responding as accurately as you should be. And this can be extremely dangerous especially if you are dealing with heavyweight items. Keep in mind that your body needs sufficient time to rest so that the cells can be regenerated and repaired. So, now you know what to change- your sleep pattern!

What Are the Symptoms of Cocaine Addiction and Can It Be Treated?

Cocaine Addiction is a highly potent substance that has been glamorized for decades as being a party drug, mainly because it makes users feel “larger than life” in social situations. Being the center of attention or enjoying popularity may seem like an attractive incentive for taking cocaine but the risks are significant and can include death. According to a study of cocaine rehabilitation centers, the substance is one of the most common people are treated for in America today. Cocaine is so addictive because it is fast-acting, creating euphoric sensations in the brain. Users are often so impressed by the effects of taking cocaine for the first time that they can quickly become dependent on the substance to give them an extra energy boost at work or extra confidence in social situations. Because the high cocaine creates lasts only around thirty minutes, users find themselves reaching for more. Often alcohol is involved in the mix, which can actually combine with cocaine to produce toxins in the body that are extremely dangerous. Another reason cocaine is highly addictive is because the intense "down" users feel when the drug wears off. The crashing depression some feel can be so intense as to "force" them to use again to buoy themselves up again. The extreme mood swings cocaine produces through its influence on the brain's neurotransmitters can cause significant psychological damage, making cocaine addiction particularly complex to treat. Symptoms of Addiction to Cocaine: It is more common to notice a change in behavior in a person abusing cocaine than it is to see physical signs. When someone is in a pattern of abusing cocaine despite the harm it is doing in their lives, it is a clear sign they no longer have control over when they use. The following are some typical signs of addiction to cocaine: The person uses more cocaine than they planned to They drop out of family or work commitments in favor of using Intense feelings of guilt emerge after using the substance Financial difficulties result from continued cocaine use A developing preoccupation with buying and using cocaine Depression, anxiety, and paranoia Lying about how much or often cocaine is used when confronted Sluggishness and extreme aggression when not using How Is Cocaine Addiction Treated? There are several different approaches to treating cocaine addiction including those with holistic components that work in combination with intensive counseling. Unlike other substances, cocaine addicts don’t necessarily have to go through detox although they are recommended to be supervised through withdrawal when they decide to quit. Just as cocaine is fast-acting, its influence is quick to leave the body and the bulk of the damage done is likely to be more emotional and psychological than physical. That said, prolonged use of cocaine can lead to serious health conditions and potentially death depending on how the drug is taken. A major danger of cocaine is that it is manufactured in illegal labs that are unlikely to be sterile and then cut with other substances to boost the dealer’s profit margin. This means it is possible to have a potentially fatal reaction to taking cocaine. There are almost one million Americans abusing cocaine at the current time. Nevertheless, treatment for all types of cocaine addiction has been shown to be highly effective in restoring balance in a person’s life, particularly when a holistic recovery path is chosen. Residential Cocaine Rehab Is Recommended: With a drug as powerfully addictive as cocaine, it is always recommended people seek specialist rehab and aftercare drug treatment, especially if they have developed serious problems. When people start using cocaine, they often find themselves moving in different circles and going to different places where drug use is considered the norm. This can lead to people being enabled to continue abusing cocaine because they lose their sense of perspective about what is normal and what is not when in drug-taking environments. Peer pressure also comes into play as others encourage cocaine use by indulging in it themselves. The fact is that users can never be sure they are buying cocaine that hasn’t been mixed with detergent, talcum powder, baking soda; or worse. Every time an individual uses cocaine they are throwing the dice on their future and every year, more and more people run out of luck. Cocaine rehabilitation centers take people out of their home environments so that they are able to immerse themselves in their healing. Although it may not be practical for everyone to dedicate three months of their time to get better, the rewards of being rehabilitated from a crippling cocaine addiction are infinite. Cocaine rehabilitation centers are considered preferable for cocaine users not only because it provides a drug-free environment where they won’t be enabled to use by others but also because aftercare is often provided as extra support for the rest of their lives in recovery. How Holistic Therapies Are Effective in Treating Cocaine Addiction: Cocaine has particularly damaging effects on a person’s state of mind because of the way it interrupts natural brain function and because holistic therapies focus on a person's overall well-being, they are effective in treating this type of substance abuse. The main challenge faced by individuals in cocaine rehab centers is addressing the root causes that caused them to form an addiction the substance in the first place. For example, the person seeking a confidence boost to make them a party animal may have self-esteem issues or an underlying mental illness. It is always important to assess each individual entering holistic cocaine rehabilitation centers to determine the most appropriate therapeutic approach to their treatment. Holistic therapies including meditation, yoga, massage therapy, experiential treatments, aromatherapy, nutritional awareness, and aftercare drug treatment have all been shown to be extremely effective in promoting long-term recovery. Essential coping mechanisms can also be learned in holistic cocaine rehab centers that provide recovering addicts with an arsenal of tools to maintain their sobriety. Read Also: Addiction Treatment: 11 Tips To Find The Best Rehabilitation Center 9 Signs You Have A Prescription Opiate Addiction

Fighting the Flaws of Menopause: 4 Treatments for Menopause Symptoms

Night sweats, hot flashes, and mood swings – oh my! It all comes with the onset of menopause. And with 75% of women experiencing these symptoms, know you’re not alone. Treatments for Menopause symptoms need to be taken care off while you want to improve your mood swings. But you don’t have to sit idly by and suffer through it. There are things you can do to ease or even end your symptoms to feel more like yourself. Take back control with these 4 treatments for menopause symptoms. 1. Hormone Therapy: Hormone levels decline with the aging process. When that’s combined with menopause, many women experience the nagging, uncomfortable symptoms it brings. Hormone replacement therapy is a popular way to replenish hormone levels. For women who still have their uterus, a combination of estrogen and progesterone (also known as HRT) can relieve moderate to severe symptoms. Those who have had a hysterectomy only need estrogen replacement. You can learn more about how this menopause treatment can work for you on this page. 2. Night Sweats Relief: Night sweats are the result of having hot flashes in your sleep. But you don’t have to take those symptoms lying down (pun intended). Keep your cool at night by dressing in light layers. Turn on a fan and keep a cold glass of water next to your bed to sip on throughout the night. You can also put a frozen cold pack under your pillow. Turn your pillow often so that your head is always resting on the cooler surface. Or it may help to keep the cold pack near to your feet. 3. Ramp up Your Sex Drive: Menopause can disrupt your sexual function, leaving you to deal with dryness and a decline in sex drive. Fortunately, you have options to combat this. Water-based lubricants can help with dryness. You don’t need a prescription to get it, you can pick it up from most drug stores. Lubricants will ease the discomfort of intercourse. Vaginal moisturizers will also promote a healthy vaginal environment. They will help treat mild vaginal atrophy and keep your pH level low. 4. Diet and Exercise: Keeping yourself fit and healthy is a natural, effective way to treat the symptoms of menopause. And since menopause increases a woman’s risk of developing diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and osteoporosis, diet and exercise help in more ways than one. Achieve and maintain a healthy weight by eating lots of fruits and vegetables. Exercise on a regular basis. Also, limit processed foods and refined sugar. It’s also a good idea to avoid trigger foods. Alcohol, caffeine, and spicy food are common triggers for hot flashes and mood swings. And since dryness comes with decreased hormone levels, always drink plenty of water. At least 8-12 glasses a day. Treatments for Menopause Give You Back Control: Don’t suffer through menopause a moment longer. With these treatments for menopause symptoms, you can take back control of your body and feel better sooner. Is menopause disrupting your sleep? Check out ways to help you sleep better as you age. Read Also: HGH Therapy Clinic In California 8 Natural Ways To Balance Hormones You Can Restore Your Manly Hormone With Steroids Testosterone Therapy Is Someone You Know Suffering From A Benzodiazepine Addiction? Here’s How To Know

How to Help Someone Overcome Addiction in Illinois