What will finally make an addict change his ways?

Question

I have a family member addict who never quite works hard enough to change, like he puts "some" effort into recovery. How he hurts others definitely doesn't click or cause much concern. Any ideas regarding what it takes for an addict to finally get real about recovery? Thank you!

Answer 1

I know it has to come from within each addict, all the pressure in the world from family and friends will not work..if you dont want to change, i guarantee you wont..all the logical reasons against drug abuse never seem enough either..there are no magic words for you to tell an addict, im sorry to say..just make sure they know you support and love them~~

Answer 2

I wish I knew. My ex is still denying he has a problem. This week I got a letter saying that because of all the fines he's racked up the last few years, they're going to look into selling my house, because he still owns a share of it. And the thought of his kids being kicked out of their home still wasn't enough to make him think that any of his lifestyle choices are possibly wrong. He's lost his wife, he doesn't bother to see his kids much, only when he couldn't be bothered doing anything else. He never has any money, he's being raided all the time, he's had diseases, he's been beaten up, he's starved for days at a time, he's lived in places that aren't fit for dogs, with people who'd stab him quick as look at him if they thought it'd do them any good. And none of this has made him even pause to think that maybe it's not such a good way to live. And his addictions are relatively tame (dope and alcahol) compared to some of the hard-core stuff out there.
Nothing you can do will ever make an addict change. They have to finally realise for themselves that their life is wrong, and most never do. I wish I had better news for you, but I've had to learn the hard way that an addict thinks about nothing but themselves and their next hit, and there is very little that can overcome that.

Answer 3

It's all about hitting a bottom deep enough to qualify as humiliating , depressing, and agrivating to where the addict just wants to surrender to a power greater then themselves . A whole new life style must occur in order to find any level of success. A physic change must occur where the addict is absolutely convinced that going back would mean only death, institutions or jail . Rigorous honestsy can be an obsticle that some will not be able to overcome .

Answer 4

They say you have to hit bottom... I don't know about that.

My ex never recovered. He had lost his marriage and visitations with our son, but even that was not enough for him to go to rehab. He died at the age of 39 when our son was 7.

When our son was 5, he asked why Daddy didn't love him enough to stop drinking and doing drugs, my only explanation was that his brain had been changed by the disease and he could no longer make the right decisions. I immediately told him that he has likely inherited that same disease. Now my son is almost 16, and some of his friends are drinking and getting high. So far he has not tried them, and I am hoping he doesn't.

Answer 5

What will make an addict change his ways is his OWN heart and mind or under more unfortunate circumstances, a tragedy.

Answer 6

the best way for someone to rid themselves of an addiction is to accept Jesus, then nothing else will matter,all will be considerd lost compared to knowing Christ. and then not only will your phisical life finally be given purpose, but you soul is Gods

Answer 7

HA. Call me jaded. How many rock bottoms can one person have.They don't care. To be succinct - NOTHING. Once the neuropathways get all messed up who knows. You need to worry about you. Unless it is your child concentrate on yourself. If it is your child you need to go to a support group so you won't feel alone and blame yourself. #@*% It's HELL isn't it?

Answer 8

he has to put ALL of his effort and really want it.

"you cant change anyone unless they would like to change themselves"