by: Ned Wicker

Dear Tara,

You, like millions of others, want to help a family member, but you don’t know where to turn. My first suggestion is to contact Al-anon in your community. This organization is designed to reach out to people just like you who want to know what they can do to be helpful.

Sometimes people concentrate so much on the person they love that they don’t get help for themselves first. I strongly urge you to make that call, because these people understand. They have been through it all and they have the answers to so many questions. It’s hard to watch your brother and it is an emotionally draining experience. So, you have to learn how you can help and stay strong.

Secondly, you need to have a family meeting for everyone to share feelings and discuss a possible starting point for everyone. If you are alone in your concern, if another member of the family is enabling his behavior and refuses to help, you have an uphill battle on your hands. But if the family is united, this is helpful.

A unified family can be influential in help your brother realize that he needs treatment. You can also research treatment centers in your community and get a feel for the options available to your brother. The treatment facility will also have people to speak to and get their advice.

Joe Herzanek’s book, “Why Don’t They Just Quit?” is also an excellent resource for understanding the mindset of a person with a substance use disorder. So often family members just think the person doesn’t want to quit, or if they did want to quit they should just be able to do it. Joe really outlines what is going on and gives you insight into how to understand the situation you are in.

Churches often have programs for drug users to help them change their lives and get on the right path. Do not minimize the power of a faith-based program. These are just a few ideas to start with. All the best.

by: Anonymous

If readers don’t know how to help, there are numerous addiction rehabilitation centers available. Just be diligent enough to search for the ones you care about.