A Better Today

FAQ’s
Workshop

Get the Answers You Need for a Peace of Mind

A Better Today understands how overwhelming addiction can be, so we want to do our part to answer some frequently asked questions we receive from the family, friends and loved ones of those who are struggling with an addicted loved one. Whether it is before they go into substance abuse treatment or returning from treatment, many have questions that will help support them to maintain their sobriety. 

We understand that dealing with a loved one who is addicted to drugs or alcohol can be challenging, so we want to offer you support and guidance during this difficult time. The more you know about the recovery process, the more you will can help them achieve their personal goals.

As your loved one goes through the process of admitting they have a problem, seeking out treatment, completing treatment and planning for aftercare, we want to prepare you to be the best support that you can be. The more educated you are about the disease model, triggers to abuse drugs and relapse the more you will be the support they need when they need it the most.

Key concepts that we cover are the different reasons why addiction begins and takes over their brain, enabling behaviors vs successfully supporting them in their recovery, signs of relapse, the importance of meetings and more. We want to give you a realistic view of addiction and prepare you for what lies ahead in their aftercare plan.

Recovery is a long road and must be maintained throughout life. But with the right support system and an effective aftercare treatment plan, the lifestyle of maintaining their sobriety can be fun and life fulfilling.

When it comes to recovery and addiction, there are a lot of questions that can come up, and we want to give you the answers you need. A Better Today covers the signs of relapse and the best course of action that you can take if that happens.

We also cover why relapse happens and why it can quite often be a part of recovery. We hope that we answer the questions that you have and give you confidence to move forward understanding a little more about what to expect from your loved one on the road to recovery.

Have Questions, Jump to Those Answers

For Your Peace of Mind, Here are the Answers You Need Now.

Workshop Topic One

No one is to blame for an individual’s addiction. One never begins using in hopes of becoming addicted, but it can happen to anyone. I am sure you have heard, addiction does not discriminate. If you look at the stories of those who have struggled with addiction, you will find that people from all different walks of life and family backgrounds have fallen into addiction in a variety of ways.

It could have been that they were curious, unknowingly self-medicating, hanging out with the wrong crowd or were prescribed painkillers after an injury or car wreck. Of course, there are certain risk factors that make the potential for drug abuse higher such as genetics or environment, but addiction can happen to anyone. If you are a parent or spouse, do not get caught up in blaming yourself.

Addiction presents enough obstacles to overcome and there is no need to start beating yourself up. The reality is still the same no matter the origin of the addiction. The best advice to move forward and make progress is to focus on solutions instead of placing blame. The solution to addiction is treatment, so as to get them on the road to recovery.

Work Shop Topic 2

When you blame your loved one’s friends, you remove the opportunity for them to be held accountable for their actions and take away their chance to grow and learn. Does peer-pressure influence someone to try drugs? Yes, it does and it is a risk factor, but without knowledge about what is out there, how strong it is or the risks involved, your loved one and their friends cannot accurately make good choices.

What you need to know about blaming the friends of your addicted loved one is this: if their social circle is a trigger, and it might be while on the road to recovery, you should discourage your loved one from continuing to hang out in that social circle. Better yet, they should make the decision to stop themselves.

If those friends come around and attempt to pressure your loved one to abuse drugs and Alcohol again, then a line has to be drawn. Ultimately, that decision can only be left up to your loved one. Your loved one should speak up and create a boundary for themselves. Give him or her the opportunity to take responsibility.

Holding Them Accountable is Key

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Work Shop Topic 3

Addiction can begin in many ways; self-medicating, peer pressure, coping with trauma, genetics, environment, even boredom, the list of reasons as to why someone would start using can go on. One of the most common answers we can possibly give, while still being respectful to the situation, though, is curiosity.

People after all, are curious and naturally want to experiment. Being told, either at a young age or in adulthood, that there is a substance that will take all your worries away, make you feel better than you’ve ever felt or experience the most intense trip can genuinely push a curious person to try it. It can start off in a pretty innocent, experimental kind of way. Curiosity tends to get the best of us, and these days what tends to provide us with those experiences tend to be highly addictive.

There are drugs out there that after one try, you can become completely hooked, because of the profound experience of euphoria. The tragedy of it all is when someone depends on it to solve all and every problem. Chasing that first high is the life of active addiction and with the potency of today’s drugs and alcohol, that chase can corrupt a person’s life forever.

Work Shop Topic 4

If your loved one is leaving treatment and coming back to live with your, or even if they will just be coming over to visit, it is better to be safe and put your prescription drugs away in a secure place. If your loved one walks by and sees your prescription drugs sitting on the counter or in the medicine cabinet, they will most likely become triggered and want to use.

Take this precaution to ensure that your loved one has a supportive environment, especially when they have just come home from treatment. As more time goes on and your loved one continues to remain abstinent and practices a program of recovery, your loved one will be better equipped to cope with triggers. For the time being, though, it is probably for the best to put prescriptions far away from their reach.

Doing this will help your loved one feel safe and respected in their recovery. It will show them that they care enough to not put their recovery at risk. The same can be said for Alcoholic beverages, because it to can trigger those whose drug of choice of Alcohol.

Relapse Prevention Encourages Success

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Work Shop Topic 5

There is no manual that can prepare us for how to deal with addiction, but it is important to know that there is a fine line between supporting and enabling your loved one who is addicted to drugs or Alcohol. The first instinct that some may have when they see their loved one struggling with addiction is to help shield them from the pain of it.

Many times, they find themselves enabling their loved one’s addiction, which in turn, can keep the addiction going for years. Think about it: if someone suffers from an addiction, but they have loved ones giving them money, letting them live in their home, allowing them to borrow their car or bailing them out of jail, then no real consequences are suffered and the addictive behavior is free to go on.

The most important thing you can ask yourself if you are unsure if you are enabling or supporting is at the end of the day, are you letting your loved one take responsibility for his or her actions?

Will helping him or her allow them to continue drinking or using drugs? Will it keep them from hitting rock bottom? Remember sometimes, allowing them to face their own consequences can push them to seek the help they so desperately need.

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