6 Little Ways You Can Support Someone With Addiction

If you love someone with a drug or alcohol problem, then you’re probably well aware that it can be incredibly confusing to know what to say or do.

You want to support your loved one and help them heal, but at the same time, it’s absolutely crucial to set healthy boundaries and protect your own well-being. And the very last thing you want to do is to trigger or abandon them during a difficult phase of their life.

Rachel Wallace, the senior director of substance use counseling services at Hackensack Meridian Carrier Clinic/Retreat & Recovery at Ramapo Valley in New Jersey, said that friends and family members are a critical part of the recovery process. Research has shown that people with stronger support systems stay in treatment longer. They’re also more likely to recover and less likely to relapse.

“People do recover, and your friend is so lucky to have you in their circle of support,” Wallace said.

We asked Wallace and other substance use counselors how you can show up for a friend or family member who is struggling with addiction. Here’s what they said.

Listen without judgment.

It’s common for people with addiction to feel ashamed and disappointed in their behavior, so the first thing you can do is to listen without casting judgment or criticizing your loved one, said Michelle Sproule, a licensed professional counselor and the chief clinical officer at Scottsdale Recovery Center in Arizona. By creating a safe space, your friend or family member can express their thoughts and struggles without worrying about what you’ll think, say or do.

Sproule recommended asking open-ended questions, nodding when they discuss their experiences and making eye contact to show you’re engaged and interested in what they’re saying.