Become An Expert
If you think someone you know needs help with addiction then you want to become an expert on that addiction. This will help you to make sure that you know that it truly is an addiction and how to handle it properly. Professional help from a qualified counselor or life coach will be part of handling any addiction properly but you should arm yourself with information too. At the very least, you will learn how to avoid some of the common pitfalls.
Offer Help
To the extent that you are able and comfortable, you want to offer your help. This help may take the form of discussing the problem and possibly even of helping someone to locate suitable professional assistance. You cannot and should not try to treat an addiction on your own, of course, but you can try to help pave the way for someone to get the help with addiction that they need.
Don't Be An Enabler
You don't want to do anything that helps someone continue on in their addiction. As good as your intentions may be this is only making it easier for an individual to continue on with their addiction and to possibly get worse. If you are somehow funding the addiction, covering for someone's addiction, or doing anything that is helping the addiction to continue then stop. Before you take this step, you will want to seek professional guidance from a counselor, properly trained life coach, or even a relationship counselor. This will help to ensure that you have ceased all your enabling activities and to ensure that you are taking this step to help with addictionin the right way.
Admit That It Is Not Your Problem
If someone you know has an addiction then you do what you can to help but remember one thing. It is not your problem or your responsibility to cure them. You do what you can to help and then allow the individual to seek help when they are ready. Again, every situation is different so you can get guidance and peace of mind from a professional counselor, life coach, or relationship counselor with the appropriate training.
These are just a few basic guidelines to follow when you suspect that someone you know has an addiction. You always want to seek professional help in these circumstances but you want to do your part too. When you do your part then you will act in the best interests of the individual with the addiction and in the best interests of everyone else, including yourself.
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Dr. Edward Dreyfus is a practicing clinical psychologist, sex therapist, relationship counselor & life coach who has written several books and published many articles. Learn how he can help you maximize your potential and achieve your goals by visiting his website at http://www.docdreyfus.com.
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