Supporting Loved Ones with Addictions

March 28, 2011 By Leave a Comment

It can be heartbreaking to watch someone that you care about struggle with addiction. So many times it is hard to know what you should do and when. One of the best things that you can do is be part of his or her support system. What does this mean? It just means being there for someone no matter what. It isn’t always easy, at times it can be frustrating, and it may require that you step outside of your normal routine to be there at any time day or night. However there is such a great feeling that comes with helping a friend that you care about.

Be proactive when you are looking to help someone with their addiction. There are going to be times, especially in the beginning, where they may need help and just don’t want to make the call. For any number of reasons they may think that calling you up is going to be an inconvenience or you are going to make a judgment of what they are doing or what they need. Call and stop by on a regular basis. Don’t just say you are going to check in; really check in.

Make tough decisions when needed. It isn’t always easy to support someone struggling with addiction. It can be frustrating to see them taking steps backwards and there are times that you will have to step in and attempt to get them away from a bad situation. Just be willing to do anything it takes, even the tough things, to make sure that you are beside them as they work for change in their lives.

Filed Under: Addiction, Care & Cure Tagged With: ,

Benefits of a Support System

March 24, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Everyone needs a group of people around them to help them through difficult times in their lives. This is especially true for individuals suffering from addictions. So many times addiction alienates people from their friends and family and there is no worse feeling than just being alone. Whether you are the person in need of support or someone who wants to help support a person you care about, there are numerous benefits to this type of relationship.

There is always someone to talk to. While it can help to talk to addiction counselors, mental health professionals and even a medical physician, sometimes it is nice to just be able to talk frankly with someone you know. This is a person that you can say just about anything to and they will be able to just be a good listener and interject only when necessary. It gives you a sounding board when things aren’t right and you just need a little bit of a reality check. This can be so helpful when on the road to recovery.

There is someone available to help. It is never easy to make the move away from addiction. It doesn’t happen overnight and the temptation doesn’t magically disappear. When times are tough, it is so comforting to know that someone is there to help you out. Call and ask them to go to lunch or dinner. Ask them to get coffee. Or, you might have someone that checks in with your regularly to make sure that you are doing well and see if you need anything. In the same way, a support system celebrates the successes with you.

Filed Under: Care & Cure, Health Tagged With: ,

Choosing the Right Insurance

March 20, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Whether you purchase your own policy or get a choice from an employer, choosing the right insurance is important to both individuals and families. Most people don’t enjoy making those monthly payments, but when something happens, it is nice to have something to fall back on; something that is going to pick up at least part of the tab.

Because this is such an important decision, take as much time as possible to go over the options and find out which policy is going to work best for you. Many people choose insurance based on the monthly premium which makes sense because it needs to be something you can afford. However when there are small price differences, it is worth taking the time to read through each plan.

Look through some of the medical expenses that you incurred over the past year. Try to plug those same appointments, prescriptions and hospital visits into the new insurance options and find out how much you would have paid with each one. If you know of something that is going to come up in the future (maybe you are thinking about having a baby or know that you are going to need knee replacement surgery) you can look into the cost of the procedure for each option.

Another important medical insurance factor to check into is doctor choice. If your family has been with the same physician for a long time and you want to stay with him, make sure that he is someone that is covered by the plan. If not, you may want to opt for a more open plan that gives you room to select the doctors that you want to see, including specialists.

Filed Under: Care & Cure, Health Tagged With:

Setting Up an Intervention

March 16, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Television ofter glamorizes the idea of setting up an intervention for a loved one. In films and other sitcoms it seems that things always come around and everything works out in the end. However, this is a much more difficult option when it comes to really sitting someone that you love and care about down and letting them know that you have concerns. You don’t want them to feel trapped or cornered and you want to make sure that the overall message is that people love and care about him or her.

Consider meeting with a professional to prepare for something like this. An expert might be able to give you some ideas on what types of things work well and others that are just going to push the persona farther away. Remember that while you may think that by doing this you love them enough to tell them, that isn’t necessarily the way that they might be hearing your words. For some, this is their only chance of being able to start the process of change. You want to try your best to be successful the first time.

Ask a professional to be there for support. This might be easier if there is a person already in your family’s life that has any type of experiences in these types of situations. If this just isn’t something that is going to work, think about people that you know that have been able to make a change in their lives. Is there something that has been able to get clean and move on with their life? If so, think about whether or not this person would be someone that would be able to bring something positive to the table.

Filed Under: Care & Cure, General Tagged With:
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