Using hard love and assertiveness with an addicted individual, be it drugs or alcohol, could be the turning point in getting someone suffering from addiction to accept help and rehab treatment for his/her recovery.
The concept and application of hard love (also known as tough love), is often difficult to understand or execute by the family members and friends of someone suffering from alcohol or substance abuse.
Hard love is understood as love or affection that is expressed in a seemingly unsentimental or harsh way, but that is ultimately for the best of the addicted individual, out of a desire to help the person.
As described by Solace Asia Clinical Director Dr. Prem Kumar Shanmugam, addiction is a family disease, affecting not only the individual suffering from the disease,but rather the whole family unit. As a result, the nuclear family becomes dysfunctional, co-dependent, eventually allowing the addiction to manifest further.
This is often caused by a lack of assertiveness by the family members and loved ones.
Being assertive with someone suffering from drug or alcohol addiction, means being able to stand in a calm and positive way, without being aggressive, making the person suffering from the disease of addiction understand that, what is being done and chosen is for their best and for their recovery.
This often might involve:
* Giving ultimatums to the substance abuser.
* Making hard and strict decisions and sticking to them no matter what, for the best of the individual.
* Stop financial assistance that enables the addiction.
* In some cases, it might involve breaking contacts with the substance abuser.
As often times the addicted person is in complete denial about his/her substance or alcohol abuse problem, we appreciate the difficulties faced by the family members and friends in trying to convince someone to receive treatment.
We also know how heartbreaking it is to watch and witness a loved one destroy their life; therefore, we at Solace will always encourage to be assertive and practice hard love with the person.
When even hard love and assertiveness fails, sometimes an intervention can be the option. This involves family and friends joining forces to get together to confront the addicted person.
Another option would be having an interventionist from Solace carrying out the intervention, by facilitating a session with the substance abuser and the family or significant other, to convince him/her that treatment for the addiction problem is the only way forward.
To know more about how to deal with a family member suffering from addiction or how to organize an intervention, please contact us at mail@solaceasia.org or call us at +60128854686 / +60197154686.
