Ask questions. Be the friend who is willing to ask questions and willing to hear the answers.
You would do anything to help your friend through their journey to recovery from addiction.Ā Learn what to say and ways you can show support when they transition out of treatment. – I would recommend rewording this sentence as such: Helping friends with their recovery journeys can be challenging. Knowing what to say, and how to say it can be a valuable skill to have. Here are some suggestions to make this a successful experience.
Let them know you care. Donāt know what to say? Start with āHi, Iām thinking about you.ā Ready for more? āI want you to know Iām here to help you in any way I can.ā Offer suggestions.
If they are receptive, talk about specific ways you can help. It can be a ride to a meeting or medical visit, a listening ear when they need to talk, or help them discover new activities you can still enjoy as friends.
Ask questions. Be the friend who is willing to ask questions and willing to hear the answers. Sometimes, the most powerful thing you can do is simply listen. Saying things like ātell me more about thatā or āhelp me understandā can indicate that you are engaged in the listening process. If they donāt want to open up, respect that too.
Your feelings matter too. Like any relationship, friendships can suffer damage during addiction. You donāt have to pretend it didnāt happen ā just let them know you are open to talking about it when the time is right.
Be normal. They want to feel normal again. You really can talk about other things. When appropriate, humor can also be a powerful way to ease tension when talking about tough topics.
Understand their social triggers. Itās not recommended to drink or use drugs around someone who is transitioning out of treatment. This provides a show of solidarity and respect for your friend’s recovery process. Additionally, this is an opportunity to break behavioral patterns that have become destructive. Find new activities to replace situations where they will be reminded of their past drug use. This can be hard, but very rewarding!
Be patient. Try to accept your friend without judgment. Recovery is a long-term process, like running a marathon. This is a significant behavioral shift from instant gratification to a long-term investment strategy. Itās not easy!Ā Keep encouraging them.
Recovery disruption can happen at any time. Be aware that, even after many months of treatment, someone in recovery is extremely vulnerable to recovery disruption.
Avoid triggering situations. Triggering situations are different for everyone, so it will be very important for you to learn what your friends’ triggering situations are to be an advocate for their recovery going forward. Recovery disruption can be kicked off by the slightest combination of stress and exposure to an opportunity to use again.Ā Ā Ā
Be extremely sensitive to signs of recovery disruption and social withdrawal. By intervening early, this can help your friend ground themselves in recovery..
Do your best to understand their feelings. Demonstrating empathy for their situation can be valuable. Recognize that even after your friend has navigated from the early stages of recovery to a more stable recovery, they are still managing a process of recovery from a substance use disorder and the stigma of addiction.Ā This can lead to a range of emotions, including guilt, anger, sadness, and shame.
Respect their privacy. Their recovery is not a topic for social media.
Be there for your friend. But remember their process of recovery is not your responsibility.