Drug addiction can make a person you love act like a complete stranger. Mental illness and drug addiction can create a dangerous opponent out of a friend or family member.
If there is an angry addict in your life, you must learn how to remain safe, protect yourself and possibly seek help for your loved one. We can help.
Anger, Addiction and Denial
Many people who are addicted to drugs or alcohol continue to stay addicted because of denial. Denial stops the addict from seeing the extent of the problem or seeking much-needed treatment. A person in denial may become angry if confronted about an addiction problem. If this is the case with your loved one, you may want to seek the help of a professional interventionist.
An interventionist can do a few important things for you such as the following:
- Help you communicate with your loved one
- Help get your loved one into treatment
- Help you confront your loved one safely
- Help you deal with the emotions of handling an addicted family member or friend
- Help you prepare and plan for the future safely
Addiction, Mental Health and Support
Many people who struggle with addiction also struggle with mental illness. Depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder or schizophrenia can cause a person to self-medicate with drugs or alcohol. Substance abuse can also cause a person to behave in unusual ways, experience trauma or experience an increase in mental illness.
If your loved one suffers from a mental illness or is directly under the influence of drugs, you cannot reason with that person. You need to take steps to understand how to handle a loved one with a mental illness and protect yourself from physical and emotional harm. It is absolutely important for you to seek support for yourself in dealing with this problem. A trained counselor can help you understand your loved one and separate your emotions from the present situation. Support and counseling can help you feel stronger and more secure.
If your loved one needs treatment, consider integrated treatment. Integrated treatment is a new approach to addiction rehab that treats both the addiction and the mental and emotional causes of addiction. With integrated treatment each patient has a personalized treatment plan that works to treat mental illness and substance use in one location at the same time.