Getting Help for a Friend
Do you know someone you suspect may have some sort of addiction problem? If so, you are not alone. Addiction is a growing problem across the UK – a problem that touches people of every age, sex, race, and income level. What’s more, addiction is not confined to just drugs and alcohol. People can be addicted to behaviours that include gambling, overeating and sex.
As the friend of someone suffering from addiction, you are concerned about that person’s well-being and safety. Yet you may not know what it is you can do to help. That’s understandable. Addiction Helpline is here to answer those questions and provide the support services you need.
Signs of Addiction
Every case of addiction is different. That said, there are some common signs of addiction that are fairly accurate in drawing the line between abuse and addiction. Some of the more common signs you can look for include:
- inexplicable mood swings
- personality changes, including increased secrecy
- a change in social circles
- changes in physical appearance, especially weight loss
- unexplained absences for long periods of time
- unexplained instances of missing personal property.
If you have observed any of these signs in relation to your friend, he or she may be addicted to some substance or compulsive behaviour. You should consider getting in touch with Addiction Helper as soon as you can. The more quickly you get involved, the greater the chances of helping your friend overcome his or her addiction.
If you read the above signs and you are still not sure, call us anyway. We can advise you on the proper course of action based on what you tell us. We will advise you where to find professional help if that’s appropriate.
Your Friend Must Help Him or Herself
It is important for you to understand that no matter how much you care for your friend, you can do nothing for him or her until they are ready to help themself. They need to come to a place where they have had enough of their addiction and are ready to change their ways. This is sometimes referred to as ‘hitting rock bottom’.
You may be able to encourage him or her to reach that place through something known as an intervention. An intervention confronts the individual and forces them to come face-to-face with their addiction. Most importantly, it forces them to realise that their addictive behaviour is harming other people.
If an intervention is successful, your friend will see the place they are in and make the decision to accept help. At that point, you need to act quickly. Therefore, it is important for you to find out what the treatment options are prior to conducting an intervention. That way you can get your friend into rehab before they change their mind.
What We Do
Addiction Helpline is an independent referral service helping addicts, their families and their friends access a full compendium of addiction recovery services. We take all of the hassle out of arranging addiction recovery by doing the work for you. You will be pleased to know that all of the assistance we provide is both confidential and free of charge.
When you call us on behalf of your addicted friend, we will apprise you of all of the available options for treatment. We can even connect you with services that will help the addict’s family. When your friend eventually does make the decision to come clean, we can even help make admissions, payment, and transportation arrangements.
You do not have to do the legwork to find an appropriate treatment centre or program. Let us handle that. All we need do is call us on the phone or send us an e-mail. Doing so could be the most important thing you have ever done for your friend.