Believe
me, communicating with an addict is not as easy as it might sound. You
will hear people say: "you have to treat them with - kid gloves" or
"you have to practice tough love" or "you have to show them you
are there for them"; but in reality, does any of these really work?
I am a recovering addict ... actually, I consider myself recovered addict
because I have a stronger Will than the one it would take for me to go back
into my addiction ... anyways, as a previous addict, I can honestly tell you
that there is no way on this earth to communicate logically and sensibly with
an addict. Anything you tell them, they are going to see in the reverse.
If you are telling them what they are doing is going to kill them ...
which you are probably right ... I promise you they are going to take it that
you are against them and don't ever approve of anything they do - why should
this be any different. If you tell them that their friends are not
their real friends because a real friend wouldn’t introduce drugs to them or
use them with them, they are going to think you have always hated their friends
… even if these are the first friends you have ever had a problem with. I know this … I lived this for 14
months. I am convinced that the only
thing a person … regardless of the relationship … a mother, sister, grandmother,
father, or grandfather … can do is to throw up their hands and walk away. WALK COMPLETELY AWAY FROM THEM!!!!!! Don’t give them money when they call. Don’t argue with them when you say “No”. Don’t lay in bed at night wondering what you
could have done differently because there is nothing you can do for them while
they are in their addiction. They have
to hit rock bottom all by themselves before they will be ready for help … and
even then, you can’t rush in to help because any help will give them the hope
that they can stay in their addiction.
They have to cleave to the bottom they way they cleaved to the
high.
