Helping a Troubled Family Member

When a family member is struggling, it can be tough for the whole family, who may not know how to help them. Most of us want to do our best for our troubled family members, but we often feel powerless or like we don’t even know where to start. Whether a family member is struggling with addiction or has gotten into legal trouble, knowing what to do can be tough, but below you will find a few tips that may help you help them…

Spend more time with them

When your family member is troubled, it can be tempting to avoid them so you can avoid the problem and having to think about what you can do. This won’t help them and it won’t help you because you’ll still be worried and potentially racked with guilt. So, make an effort to spend more time with them doing things you know they love, like watching movies or playing chess, and as well as letting them know they’re loved, this will help to provide a welcome distraction to them that could help to steer them away fro the trouble they’re in.

Inform yourself

Getting informed about the issues they face is a really good idea. It will not only help you to better understand them so that you can be more compassionate to their situation, but it will also help you to come up with more ways to help them through whatever it is they are going through.

Also, explore and find the best drug and alcohol detox center so you have more knowledge on how to guide your family member in the right direction towards recovery. As much as you want to be able to solve all their issues, sometimes a professional is what they need.

Be patient

Troubled individuals rarely just snap out of it in an instant, and when they are struggling they can behave in ways that you may find challenging, so it’s really important that you are as patient as possible with them. That doesn’t mean you always have to put up with everything they do, but you should try to empathize and avoid being confrontational or they may end up feeling like they can’t be around you, and then you will have no chance to help them.

Get them help

Whether you offer to pay for a good criminal defense lawyer or get them into a great rehab center, for example, anything you can do to get them professional assistance is sure to help them. Sometimes, it takes more than just the kind wishes and interventions of family members, and by paying for the help they need, you are doing absolutely the best thing you can for them; it’s a loving thing to do.

Look after yourself

You will be no good to your family member if you are a stressed-out wreck yourself, so as you try to help them, be sure to take time out for yourself where you can just relax and be you. Whether you take a meditation course, get away from the weekend, or simply have one day a week away from the troubled person, do whatever you need to do to cope with the challenge as effectively as possible

Helping a troubled family member takes time and patience; I wish you luck!