It is difficult to watch a family member lose control of their lives. People with loved ones who suffer from addiction often wonder why the addict won’t stop his drug of choice. It is difficult for heroin addicts to give up the thing they love so much. To a confused family member of a person addicted to any opiate, all they can do is watch from the outside. The pain it causes is best described by people who have been through the same experience.
Someone on the outside may know what addiction entails. In the case of opiates, a person’s body gets to the point where it needs the drug. Psychologically, the person also needs the drug. Most drugs that are physically addictive also are psychologically addictive, but the two do not always go together.
When someone’s son, for example, won’t stop heroin, there is one thing his parents need to know. He has a disease. Do not excuse his behavior, but keep in mind that he may not be able to stop himself on his own. Someone on the outside may need to intervene. There are many ideas about how to stage an intervention, but there is no way to make it so the situation is not awkward.
For some people, the intervention might be the first time they realize they have a problem. Many people know things are not going well long before this. A group of people taking their time out to express their concern for the individual’s life may be exactly what the person needs to seek help. No matter how well-meaning such an intervention may be, a person should keep one thing in mind. The addict, like any other person with a mental illness, needs to decide for himself if he wants help. Even people who say all the right words and sound sincere may not be telling the truth.
Addiction is an illness, and they can’t stop without help, even if they must make the decision to be helped on their own. There are many different addiction treatment programs. The most common ones have similar rates of success. AA and NA are only two of the most common ones people encounter. An addict may always be an addict, but he can get clean and avoid the substance that took his life off course. He needs to have good support structures in place to keep clean and sober.