Waiting and Wondering
For yet another night, you’re sitting by the phone wondering where your loved one is. The thoughts racing through your mind make you worried they are on the side of the road somewhere. You worry they’ll come stumbling in around 3 a.m., having failed once again to stay away from the drugs or alcohol that have consumed their lives.
Situations like this leave caregivers on edge and unable to focus on their own wellbeing and health. Could this be the right time for an intervention? Consider a few signs it’s time to get help.
#1: Your Loved One’s Destructive Behavior Puts You or Your Family at Risk
Those suffering from substance abuse routinely face challenges related to caring for their family. Often, they engage in destructive behavior, such as overdosing or passing out. They may also endanger the family by driving while intoxicated, or by drinking or using in front of the children.
When you begin to see increasing instances of failure to make the right decisions regarding their wellbeing or your own, it’s time to talk about an intervention. In many situations, the substance abuse will escalate before it gets better.
#2: They Don’t Tell You the Truth
Where they go after work is a mystery to you. You no longer know what they are using. When your loved one is doing everything they can to dodge the truth, it’s time to find out why. While it’s true that addiction creates a chemical and physical dependency that makes it difficult to make good choices, your loved one knows they are doing the wrong thing when they reach for a substance. Substance abuse leads to lies that build upon each other, worsening over time.
#3: Their Use Becomes Uncontrollable
The use of alcohol or drugs tends to increase as substance abuse worsens. You may notice signs of an uncontrollable level of use, such as:
- Stopping to get a drink on the way home from work every day, often coming home later each week
- Drinking or using drugs first thing in the morning
- The need to seek out more and more of the substance because the amount they have is not enough
Those with addiction typically find themselves building up a tolerance rather quickly. That means they need more of the substance, or substances with more intense effects, to get the same feeling.
#4: They Look and Act Sick
Those with a substance abuse problem try very hard to hide it. Many believe they are successful at this, too. Yet they may look sick and feel horrible. You may notice that they no longer wear clothing that’s clean or wrinkle-free even though they used to do so. They may look pale or seem to have lost a significant amount of weight.
Keep in mind that you may notice mental health changes, too, such as being easy to anger or no longer engaging with the family. This withdrawn personality is a sign of addiction, but also a cry for help. An intervention may be just what they need at this point.
#5: The Financial Difficulties Are Worsening
It’s expensive to maintain a substance abuse problem. You may be struggling with balancing your expenses or finding it hard to just make ends meet. Your loved one may still go to work, and your income may be the same, but your bank account is always running out too soon.
You may also find that your loved one is having a hard time maintaining a job. This can lead to financial difficulties such as being behind on the mortgage or having their car repossessed. Your loved one may also be borrowing on a constant basis and promising to repay what is owed, but failing to do so.
#6: They Lash Out at You and Others
Enhanced emotions are common in those who have an addiction, especially if they are not getting enough of the substance to meet their body’s demands. Lashing out can occur when a person is beginning to go through the initial phases of withdrawal, but it can also occur as a side effect of some illegal drugs.
If you feel at risk because of your loved one’s aggressive behavior, remove yourself from the situation. It doesn’t matter if the alcohol or drugs are talking. In any situation, aggression can escalate quickly. Get yourself to safety, and then get help for your loved one.
#7: Other Conversations Haven’t Worked
You’ve done everything you can. Your loved one is just not listening any longer. Previous conversations and promises have gone unheard. It’s time to do something different. It’s time to care for yourself, too.
Interventions are a way to set a boundary, to say that you will no longer support your loved one’s habits. It’s never simple to make the decision to have an intervention, but it can be a life-changing experience your loved one needs.
We Can Help
Hiring an intervention specialist in Marietta, Georgia, is as simple as contacting DK Solutions Group. We’re here to answer your questions openly and honestly.