Addiction

[mrisha]

You sit them down to talk about their addiction problem.  I did that once years ago for my sister.  I told her that I loved her, but her addiction was killing her day by day.  I talked to her without her husband being there.  After talking with her, I think she went home and told her husband what I had said and from that point on she stopped speaking to me.  With his personality, she listened to him.  But that was ok, I expected her to do that because she was  weak and no matter what was said she followed and took his advice.  To this day, her addiction has gotten worse and I think she has added another one to it.  She weighs about 95 pounds.

[batmobile]

intervention

[JaniceSW]

The person has to be at the point where they can see the problems it is causing in their life...willing to admit they have a problem...where they can see they are at the bottom, without options,,,willing to accept professional help and support as well as from family and friends.  They have to be out of excuses.

[linderlizzie]

I don't think you can help a person who has a addiction unless they want to help themselves.

Amen on this, Nancy. You have to want to help yourself. No one else can make you do it.

I would just like to add that addictions come in a lot of forms. Phones have become an addiction for lots of people. Communication between two live people seems to be dying out, and that's a terrible thing to happen. 

You can be addicted to work and neglect your family. You think it's for a good reason, but you have to think about the trade-offs. 

Addiction can apply to gambling, pornography, computer games, overeating, etc. If you can realize what your own addiction is and confront it with the conviction to stop, that's when you can overcome it. 

[bigfoot951]

There are just too many variables in this equation.  It would completely depend on the individual situation.

[alaskakaren]

I would gently let them know and see if there was anything you could do...but they must make the changes themselves...sadly.

[nannycoe1]

The addict has to want to change. Sometimes if you try to do anything to help it just makes them worse

[melissaotto1982]

Both my brothers have been adficts for the last 10 years and many of us have aporoached them and one actualky went to rehab and was clean for 5 years but went back to it, do its true they need to want to change. Both my brpther have gotten so bad that I actually no long talk to them and had to cut all ties to them because of the things they wete foing and I didnt want that around my children. Hope you have a better outcome and ill be praying for you!

[sgluckadoo]

Depends on the specifics of the situation. There are lots of addicts in my family. one thing i have learned is if they dont want to hear it, you are wasting your time. it is sad but true.

[autumnsparklemom]

Addiction is a disease. Offer help, show concern. But the individual with the addiction has to be willing to change.