More Ways Family Can Support Someone After Drug Rehab
A family can help their loved one after drug rehab in many ways. The first post I wrote on this topic had too many ideas. I’m happy to give you the other part of the list today. If you have a family member returning home from alcohol rehab or you have become recently sober, this is vital information for you. Read this list and the previous post on supporting someone after drug rehab.
Family Can Really Listen To You
Sometimes, all you need is someone to listen to you for a while. I know I “think out loud” a lot. The ideas in my head change when I put them into spoken words. Then, I can also get feedback on my thoughts. This practice of active listening can be done by anyone in the family who is committed to helping the addict.
People in pain just want to be understood, to have their feelings heard and validated by another person. Even if the listener doesn’t agree or doesn’t completely understand, they can still help the addict express themselves. In many cases, just the open supportive atmosphere is all the addict needs to feel better.
Family Can Help You With Healthy Eating
Good habits can take a long time to learn. If an addict has been eating poorly and not taking good care of their body, then healthy eating can be a challenge to keep up. Drug rehabs with nutrition programs can help addicts start new habits. But like with any new habit, they can be hard to stick to. After the newness wears off, it can be hard to get motivated to keep the change. Have a supportive family member cook with you to make it fun. You don’t have to feel like it’s such a battle on your own to make healthy changes. Plus, you get more social support time by making it a joint activity.
Family Can Exercise With You
Everyone needs exercise, and it’s often much easier to keep up when others do it with you. Plus, it keeps physical activity fun when the muscle strain or exhaustion gets challenging. Addicts are all about whatever’s going on in the moment, and they may be easily tempted to quit exercising when it gets hard, boring, or they don’t see quick results.
Doing exercise with family members does more than just improve physical health. It shows that a family member (or more) are showing a commitment to the addict. The addict gets a regular social opportunity plus ongoing evidence of the family’s commitment to the addict’s life after drug rehab.
Get The Family Involved With Drug Addiction Recovery
As you can see, there are so many ways family members can support someone returning from drug rehab. It can feel awkward at first, but it helps to have a plan. More than anything, it’s important to understand
that drug addiction is really a family problem. It’s not just about the drug addict, it’s about everyone making self discoveries and positive change.