There are many ways that family members and friends can offer support to someone in addiction recovery after they have come home from a drug rehab center. People often want to help the individual get back on their feet, but they may not be sure how to go about it.
They are afraid of getting in the way or making the situation worse. In the following ideas, there is sure to be something that any type of person would feel comfortable doing.Some of the ways that a recovering addict can use help are concrete actions. The little frustrations in life sometimes build up until the individual becomes overwhelmed and stressed out, which makes it more likely that they will relapse. For example, they may need financial help for a time after they finish rehab until they can find a job. It can also be simple things like cooking a meal or fixing a broken appliance. Think about your skills and what you enjoy doing. As long as this isn’t part of a pattern of enabling behaviors or codependency, it can be a great support.
Psychological support is another way to help someone after drug and alcohol rehab. Having a caring and supportive social network reduces the chances of relapse in addicts. This means just being there to listen and letting the individual know that you are proud of them for their accomplishments so far. Tell them they can call you at any time when they need someone to lean on. It means giving advice, but only when it is asked for. Having another point of view to bounce decisions of off can be very important for someone who is in addiction treatment. Addicts often engage in risky behaviors and make poor choices, so they may need some time to practice better decisions in life.