How to Stop Drug Abuse: What You Can Do as a Caregiver

You’re overwhelmed, worried, and at the end of your rope. You have a family member who is using drugs or alcohol, and it’s impacting their health and future. How to stop drug abuse like this is not always easy to see, though. That’s because this is a very complex disease, one that creates damage to many facets of a person’s life. If you are seeking help for your loved one, turn to The Ranch PA. We can teach you what to do to get help.

How to Stop Drug Abuse: Education and Prevention

While you may not be able to learn how to stop drug abuse from happening because it’s already occurring, you can educate others about what happens when a person uses drugs and alcohol. If your loved one is at risk, is a teen facing peer pressure, or is a college student surrounded by use, what do you do?

• Talk about the changes drugs create in the brain
• Learn about the way drugs put people at risk
• Discuss genetics and other family use of drugs and alcohol and its outcome
• Talk about the consequences including poor judgment, dependence, sexual activity, and reckless behavior
• Discuss circumstances for being at risk, such as low self-esteem, social rejection fears, and anxiety

Educate your loved one about why drugs are never a good choice. Then, work with them to have strategies to get out of using them if they are put in a high-risk scenario.

Learning How to Stop Drug Abuse in Your Home

When an adult or teen in your home is using drugs and alcohol, it’s important to treat this condition as you would any other type of disease. You can get them help in a number of ways such as:

• Make It Possible: The first step is to ensure your loved one can leave work, school, and home responsibilities so he or she can enter into a treatment program. Make it clear there is help available.
• Find Residential Treatment: To learn how to stop drug abuse from worsening, your loved one needs to enter drug or alcohol residential treatment. This gives them the ability to focus on getting well.
• Determine if Detox Is Necessary: Most people with addiction and dependence benefit from drug detox programs. This helps them to safely stop using the drugs and enter into a safe place to detox with medical supervision.
• Create Time for Counseling: When this is happening in your home, it’s impacting every person living there. That is why family counseling programs are so important. It can help you both to find the treatment that you can rely on for long-term well-being.
• Ensure an Aftercare Plan Is in Place: Work with your team to ensure your loved one receives aftercare treatment programs if they can benefit from it. This may help to reduce ongoing complications and drug use.

It’s also important to work with a team that offers comprehensive treatment and support. You can learn how to stop drug abuse by being proactive and getting your loved one into our program at The Ranch PA. Talk to us about their needs, including trauma or the benefit of dual diagnosis treatment. A comprehensive, personalized treatment plan will make all the difference in the long term.

Feel Empowered to Get Help by Calling The Ranch PA

You are not alone in your quest to learn how to stop drug abuse. Many people who have loved ones who use do not know what to do or how to find the right type of help for their spouse, children, or parents. At The Ranch PA, we recognize this. Thus, we provide you with the tools and resources you need to get help in place. Call 717.969.9126 to speak to our counselors about the options available to you.