When a person is self-destructing, that person doesn’t know when to stop. An individual may hit rock bottom before considering a serious life change. For an addict hitting the rock bottom is the point at which his or her mind and body has given up under the stress of addiction. Some addicts have to reach rock bottom before they can recover, but it is always better to seek addiction treatment before this point arrives.
But what is rock bottom? Can addicted persons realize what rock bottom really is? Sometimes an addiction can defy all logic, and what everyone thought would mean rock bottom ends up just being another step deeper into addiction. Family and friends may have to stage an addiction intervention and raise the rock bottom level for their loved one. Otherwise the addicted person will continue on a downward spiral until that point is reached. In some cases an addict won’t hit rock bottom until a fatal overdose occurs.
Helping Your Loved One Realize It Is Time for Help
Before hitting rock bottom an addict won’t usually know when to seek treatment for addiction. Raising the rock bottom level can make the addicted person realize it is time to seek help. How do you make your loved one realize it is time to seek help? You can do the following:
- Cut off financial support to the addict. If the addicted person does not have the money to continue the addiction habit, he or she may be more likely to seek help.
- Do not allow drug use in the house. You may feel it is safer if your loved one does drugs where you can supervise him or her, but do not offer your loved one a location for drug use.
- Avoid enabling your loved one in any other way. If you are concerned that you may be enabling your loved one, call a recovery helpline and ask for advice.
Removing the “support” from the addiction can make a difference. It is important to seek counseling and support for yourself, so you can learn how to set healthy boundaries and find ways to encourage your loved one to seek help.
Letting an addiction problem grow is dangerous and can have severe consequences. You can learn how to set safe consequences for your loved one with the help of an experienced interventionist or recovery counselor. It is possible to help your loved one firmly and confidently without abandoning your loved one.