what to say to someone who is addicted

Addiction: Say this, not that

Note: I want to comment that sometimes the person addicted is a spouse. And because they’ve never gotten help and you’ve lived with it, you can no longer tolerate being part of that relationship. I understand that.

Don’t say: I guess you’ll just have to hit rock bottom before you change
Say instead: I believe one day you will find recovery.

Don’t say: I can’t live with you! You cause nothing but chaos to this family!
Say instead: Your father and I cannot live with you. But we love you and it doesn’t mean we don’t want to be in your life. Can we meet for lunch?

Don’t say: I’ve had it. I can’t deal with you anymore.
Say instead: I’m struggling right now and feel helpless. I need to take a break so I can regroup and be there when I can help

Don’t say:  When are you going to get help?
Say instead: I need to find help and support for myself so I understand this disease.

Published by

AnneMoss Rogers

AnneMoss Rogers is a mental health speaker and suicide education trainer and consultant. She is author of the Book, Diary of a Broken Mind and co-author of Emotionally Naked: A Teacher's Guide to Preventing Suicide and Recognizing Students at Risk with Kim O'Brien PhD, LICSW. She raised two boys, and lost her younger son, Charles, to addiction and suicide on June 5, 2015. She combines lessons learned from her experience with proven strategies to help organizations build a wellness culture that drives results and saves lives. She speaks at conferences as a keynote, at workplaces,and at K-12 schools and universities.

2 thoughts on “Addiction: Say this, not that”

  1. I’m a female drug addict who was living with my parents until they threw me out so my rapist brother could move in. They sew me as worthless but my only object of abuse is inanimate yet my brother who has been convicted of multiple sex crimes throughput his life is better than I because I don’t lie about my behavior. I’ll die if I don’t sell my body to people like my golden child sibling. THANKS FOR THE GREAT ADVICE

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