Within the recovery community, there is an expression that you are only as sick as your secrets. Sometimes the biggest secret of all is that you’re facing drug addiction. While you likely wouldn’t struggle with telling your family if you were diagnosed with a health condition such as diabetes, you may find it difficult to share that you have a drug addiction.
There is a lot of stigma surrounding addiction, and that makes it challenging to share your struggles. You may wonder how to tell your parents you’re an addict. The simple truth is that sharing your addiction with your family will likely make it much easier for you to face it. At Thrive Treatment, we understand how challenging it can be to face your addiction and share it with your loved ones. We also know the peace that it can bring you to come out of the shadows of addiction and into the light of recovery.
Signs and Symptoms You Are Struggling With Addiction
It is hard to accept that you are addicted to drugs and/or alcohol. Whether you’ve been using for a long time or a short time, you may have thought you had your drug use under control. Many who use drugs and alcohol can maintain a facade for an extended time before the consequences begin to pile up.
The signs and symptoms of addiction start small. You may find yourself slowly growing apart from friends who do not use drugs and alcohol. Perhaps you stop participating in activities that used to bring you joy. You may notice that you don’t have the time or the energy to meet your obligations, such as school or work. More than anything, you may find that you feel physically awful and that you only feel better when you use more drugs. However, you may also realize that drugs and alcohol only make you feel better for a little while and that you need more and more to feel better. Your emotions may be all over the place, and you may start to feel isolated. The more isolated you feel, the more difficult it may seem to share your addiction. Addiction can make you feel like the whole world is against you, and that’s when it will seem impossible to know how to tell your parents you’re an addict.
How To Tell Your Parents You’re an Addict
Once you face your drug addiction, the next step is sharing it with those closest to you. One of the essential factors in getting and staying sober is having a solid support system. So, no matter how embarrassed you are or how disappointed you believe your family will be, you need to share your struggles with them. While it may not be easy to figure out how to tell your parents you are an addict, they will want to know. They will want to know because they will want to help you and support you as you find your way into recovery. Telling your parents that you’re an addict and need help is far better than them finding out from someone else. Trust us; your parents would rather find out from you than get a phone call that you have overdosed. Facing addiction requires honesty. Often the first step is admitting to yourself and others that you have a problem.
How To Get Help With Addiction
At Thrive Treatment, we understand addiction, and we know how to treat it. We partner with you to create an individualized treatment plan that meets you where you are. We blend different treatment modalities to enable you to build a firm foundation for your sobriety. We integrate relational and behavioral therapies, along with holistic, medical, and psychiatric interventions to put you on the path to sobriety, emotional health, and overall well-being. We are located in beautiful Santa Monica and offer the ideal environment to begin your life in recovery. Contact us today and let us help you with your addiction!
