Support in Withdrawal When No One Seems To Understand

Withdrawal from drugs or alcohol can be a challenge alone. When you feel misunderstood, unsupported and isolated it can only make it more difficult. When people are suffering from cancer, diabetes and other chronic diseases, they will often find empathy and offers of support from friends and family, as there is more awareness of these disease and understanding in comparison to addiction. Many people feel as if addiction is a choice, that the addict can just stop if they want to, they do not fully understand the effects of this disease and what it is doing to the addict both physically and psychologically. Addiction is terribly misunderstood and the support one needs from friends and family is not always there making the struggle they face even harder.

Friends and Family Become Less Accessible and Less Understanding

In the beginning your friends and family may be there for you in your addiction, offering support and resources to help you get sober. However over time they may become less accessible and less understanding. Regardless to how the disease is explained, the information then are given and your pleas for empathy and understanding, nothing seems to work.

Withdrawal is complex, with symptoms that mimic so many psychological and physical conditions. Your loved ones may try to find other reasons for what is going on with you, coming up with their own diagnosis rather than listening to you about your addiction and battle with withdrawal, often ignoring your pleas for support. If only your friends and family were able to fully understand what bravery it takes to endure and cope with such a wide magnitude of withdrawal symptoms that you are faced with, they will be proud of you and realize just how strong you really are.

Understanding Your Friends’ and Families Inability to Relate

Your friends and family are not going to be able to relate to what is going on with you for the simple reason that they have never gone through it. They will just look at the depression you are faced with, the anxiety, the fact you have missed important events in their lives or that you have lashed out at them. They are not able to understand that this is all apart of recovering from this disease and they must be supportive and have patience with you. Just because they are not understanding does not mean that you can not be yourself, do not hold a grudge or think that they care for you any less, they simply do not understand.

Not All Friends and Family Members are Unsupportive

Not all of your friends and family will be unsupportive to your in your recovery. You may have only one person that is loyal and dependable, despite not fully understanding the complexities of withdrawal they are there for you each step of the way offering the support you need. If you have even one person in your life like this be thankful, not everyone has this. If you feel lost and as if you have no support system turn to a support group, others that are in recovery can help you understand what is happening to you better and offering you the reassurance and support you need to beat addiction.