Substance Issues

After researching addiction I found out that addiction to a drug changes the chemicals in a brain, which include parts of the brain that involve self-control. These changes in the brain causes the body to be dependent on the drug and makes it extremely difficult for the person to quit, even if the person feels like they are ready to quit. This is known as a physical addiction. There is also a possibility of a psychological addiction, which causes a person's mind to crave the feeling that the drug gives, or causes the person to feel emotionally awful when he or she stops using the drug.

When deciding on making the decision to help a person with an addiction, it is important to have an idea about the amount of drug abuse that is occurring, and think through on how it is affecting the person as well as others around them. The first step in helping a person with addiction, is to have a discussion with the person and how it is affecting themselves and the people around them. Some guidelines of the discussion are: to not bring up the subject when they are under the influence; establish a time to talk when you can have enough time alone to talk; have a two-way conversation that involves your concerns and understand the perception from the addict’s perception of the situation; list the behaviors that have been observed and that you are worried about the effect of the abuse is having; use open-ended questions so the person does not feel like they are being lectured; If the person states that there is definitely not a problem, ask to talk again at some point in the future, the goal is not to convince them that they have a problem, don’t expect a dramatic shift in thinking and behavior.

As a concerned friend, you can have a positive affect on the abuser’s life. The first rule of supporting, is to not confuse support with enabling. Helping someone with an addiction can bring stress and confusion, getting support from other sources can be helpful and sometimes