Doesn’t my loved one have to want to recover from addiction?

It is important that a person with an addiction recognize the problem. But this can be a difficult issue. Many people use drugs and alcohol in order to cope with other psychological problems (such as anxiety), societal or physical stressors. A person may feel that not drinking or using drugs will cause other issues to intensify.

Not recovering should not be confused with not wanting to get better. The physical nature of addiction is chronic and intense, and the physical desire for drugs and alcohol can overwhelm the emotional desire to get better. Ongoing treatment and support are crucial in order to give a person the help they need to obtain recovery.

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Questions:

What is recovery? Does anyone really ever recover from addiction? I have relapsed over and over, so can I really recover this time? My parent has abused alcohol for years…is it possible to recover? What are the steps of recovery? What kinds of treatments are used in recovery? Doesn’t my loved one have to want to get better in order to recover? What if I’m afraid of relapsing again? Why bother trying so hard to recover? How do I know if I’m recovered? I think my teenager is experimenting with drugs…what do I do? Where do I begin to get help for myself and my family?