TOLEDO, Ohio — Whether it's battling drugs or alcohol, BrightView Health Outpatient Drug & Alcohol Addiction Treatment Center said summer is hard for those in recovery. For many the aim of the season is to party or just relax, and either way, society pairs both activities with alcohol.
That can be a tempting for anyone, but those with addiction it can be harder, but not if the right support system can help avoid it, said Emily Schwarz, BrightView Health's Director of Justice System Outreach.
Family can be a stresser in anyone's life, she said. Add to that the pressures of summer socializing and people with addiction may have a difficult time, she said.
"You know, throw a barbeque on top of that," she said. "Societal pressures, and people just offering a beer, maybe not understanding that somebody's in recovery."
According to Addiction Center.com, almost 21 million Americans have at least an addiction, yet only 10 percent of them receive treatment.
But there are some things families and friends can keep in mind to be supportive of people with addiction.
Schwarz said people in recovery know their triggers and limits well. But during summer months, family and friends can help them avoid those triggers and limits by just asking questions. She offered some examples:
"Are you OK with alcohol around you? We have non alcoholic beverages available. Is that something you're interested in? What does a craving feel like? Maybe they have a code word if you're at a party together. If they say that code word they're feeling triggered and they might need to make a polite excuse to leave," Schwarz said.
She added that lapsing and relapsing in addiction is likely. This does not make a person with addiction bad, nor does it mean that their recovery journey is over.
"Addiction being a life-long disease, a lot of individuals are stable for a while and then things change. They might go through periods of returning to substance use. Recovery is not always linear for everybody," Schwarz said.
The fact is addiction is a hard road no one actively chooses. However, supportive people are appreciated more when they know the signs. Additionally, when they take classes to recognize the accurate ways to support someone battling addiction.
"It is nobody's job to save anybody but themselves," Schwarz said. "Every person I've worked with has been their own savior when it comes down to it."
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