Watching a friend struggle with addiction can make you feel powerless, but you can help your friend along the road to recovery. By knowing the signs of addiction and treatment options, you can recognize whether your friend needs help and find them the help they need. At Soba Recovery, we know broaching the topic of addiction may feel as though you’re overstepping your bounds, but if someone you care about is suffering from addiction, starting a conversation about their addiction is an important step toward life-saving help.
Signs of Addiction
If you suspect a friend might have an addiction, you might notice changes in their physical appearance, such as:
- Unkempt appearance
- Decreasing personal hygiene
- Weight loss
- Pale skin
Addiction also affects people mentally and emotionally. Commons signs of addiction as a result of this mental and emotional toll include:
- Defensiveness when asked about changes in behavior or substance use
- Depression
- Mood swings or irritability
- Becoming argumentative
- Noticeable lack of energy
- Failure to fulfil obligations at work, home, or school
- Self-isolating and secretive
- Risky or erratic behavior
If you notice a friend constantly displaying any of these warning signs or symptoms of addiction, they may need treatment.
Addiction Treatment Options
The purpose of addiction treatment is to help individuals struggling with addiction to stop compulsive use of drugs or alcohol. Because addiction is chronic, treatment is often a long-term process. Soba Recovery offers holistic drug and alcohol treatment in Mesa, Arizona as well as San Antonio, Texas from detoxification to continuing care.
Detoxification
Detoxification is the medical treatment of freeing the blood from toxins. At Soba Recovery, detoxification is medically supervised by certified doctors, registered nurses, behavioral health technicians, and drug and alcohol counselors. Our inpatient facility has 20 beds, allowing for 24-hour monitoring of the process and individualized care. Detoxification is the first step on the road to recovery and usually takes three to seven days.
Inpatient Treatment
Inpatient treatment, sometimes known as residential treatment is a treatment for addiction in which individuals struggling with addiction stay in a controlled environment. At Soba Recovery, inpatient treatment is tailored to individual needs and all those participating in inpatient treatment are at similar points in their journeys to sobriety. Inpatient treatment allows patients a critical point between detoxification in sober living in which to transition and gain more confidence on their road to recovery.
Outpatient Treatment and Sober Living
In outpatient treatment, a patient goes to treatment during the day but lives at home. Outpatient treatment can be stand-alone, or part of a long-term treatment program. At Soba Recovery, outpatient treatment is one step in a longer treatment process to continue to provide support to those on their way to recovery. Outpatient treatment can also include sober living homes, which are spaces specifically for individuals working on their addiction recovery. Sober living homes are free from drugs and alcohol and offer a community for motivation and support as well as assistance to rebuild skills lost or muted during addiction. Soba Recovery offers sober living in conjunction with outpatient treatment to create a supportive, community-oriented environment for recovery.
How to Approach My Friend About Their Addiction
Approaching a friend about addiction can be uncomfortable, but early intervention is important for recovery. Remember, a common sign of addiction is denial, so it is important to be gentle rather than accusatory. Make sure the conversation doesn’t take place while your friend is under the influence, as they may react more negatively than they would otherwise.
To start a conversation about a friend’s addiction, begin with your observations that you’re concerned about. This might look like:
- “I wanted to check in on you because I’ve noticed you’ve been acting different lately”
- “I’ve been worried about you because I’ve noticed you haven’t seemed like yourself lately”
After starting the conversation, you might ask questions about how they’re feeling; if they are dependent on a substance, how you can support them, or if they’ve thought about getting help. When providing support it’s important to listen to your friend to allow them to tell you about what is going on in their lives. If you know a friend is struggling with addiction, your presence as a friend can be invaluable to their recovery.
Get Help With Addiction at Soba Recovery
Please don’t hesitate to contact us today at Soba Recovery regarding a loved one’s addiction or your own. Soba Recovery offers multiple locations in Arizona and Texas. We offer a full range of addiction treatment options, from detoxification to aftercare. We know addiction is a lifelong journey, and we’re dedicated to helping anyone and everyone pursue it!