⁠Drug Addiction Help

Seeing someone you care about struggling with addiction can be very distressing and have negative effects on your own well-being. The victim could be a child, friend, partner, or parent, but the substance use takes over your own life. It can cause stress to pile on you by testing your patience and your bank account until feelings of anger, fear, frustration, shame, and guilt drown you. 

Whether it is illegal drugs or prescription medication, you can get your loved one to overcome this habit with expert drug addiction help. While you cannot force anyone to stop using drugs, there are ways to support them. 

Understanding LGBTQ Drug Addiction

LGBTQ people start using drugs for many different reasons. Some use substances to cope with rejection, harassment, or mental health illnesses like depression, anxiety, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). They basically self-medicate their mental health condition because they are unable to find better ways of coping. 

Some LGBTQ people abuse substances in hopes of fitting in or to stop feeling bored or dissatisfied with their lives. Maybe they want to have more fun at raves or they see all their friends doing it and are feeling left out. Then, there are people whose abuse develops from a physician’s well-meaning efforts to manage a medical condition. This kind of drug abuse often affects people who are prescribed opioid pain relief. 

Irrespective of the reason your LGBTQ loved one began using substances, not everyone ends up in the cycle of drug addiction. The exact causes of physical dependence are unclear; genetic and environmental influences play a huge role. One person may be able to use substances casually and never get hooked, while another might find themself quickly plunged into compulsion and addiction and feel unable to escape this dark hole. 

How to Know an LGBTQ Loved One is Addicted to Drugs

Recognizing drug addiction in loved ones is rarely easy. With teenagers, you could mistake the signs for the normal angst that adolescence causes.

Problems at work, school, or home: Your loved one may often be absent from school or work to compensate. Their grades may suffer, or they may fail to meet deadlines at work. They may also neglect domestic responsibilities and have a lot of friction in their relationships. If things get really bad, they may drop out of school, lose their job, or break up with a long-term partner. 

Constant Financial Difficulties: They may have tons of credit card debt to fund their addiction, apply for loans, or ask you for money without any good reason. When it gets really bad, they could steal money or sell their properties to get drugs.

Unexplained changes in mood and behavior: Your friend, partner, or family member may become secretive about how they spend their time. They may not care for activities they used to relish and become withdrawn. You may often be a target for their anger and lashing out, especially if you try to address their drug use. Their appearance could have tell-tale signs that all is not well, like a lack of personal hygiene. 

New Health Problems: You may notice changes in their sleep schedules. They may go days without sleeping or sleep most of the time. They may have gained or lost a significant amount of weight in a short time, and you see them always looking fatigued or with bloodshot eyes. Based on their drug of abuse, they may have nosebleeds, tremors, pin-point pupils, or frequent sniffing. 

How to Address a Loved One's Drug Addiction

People who struggle with substance addiction will often deny that there is a problem and refuse to seek treatment. An intervention approaches a loved one with a well-thought-out and structured opportunity to find help before the situation worsens. 

You should plan an intervention carefully. You can do it with family and friends with assistance from a trained mental health professional. The best results come when you begin the conversation from a place of compassion and understanding because no one sets out to develop a drug addiction. Drug addiction often starts as a misguided attempt to manage stress and suffering. 

While you may have your own feelings of fear and anger, especially if it is your child or partner who is using, criticizing, shaming, or demeaning language can fuel further addiction. Ensure that you are calm and free from distractions when you discuss this topic. Give support without judgment.

Seek Drug Addiction Help Today

Many services cater to the needs of people struggling with drug addiction, but with LGBTQ people, it is important to find an inclusive and affirming drug rehabilitation center like Q Space Detox that provides services ranging from rehab, detox to different forms of therapy. 

LGBTQ people who seek drug addiction help need a place that is safe and supportive. They need a place where they will feel a sense of community and be free from judgment. Call us at 305-745-7768 to learn more about our treatment program, and your loved one can move toward recovery.