Yesterday, we talked about fears that people have about their addictions and about their lives. Addiction can also create fear in others.

Addiction creates so many scary things. If people have relatives and friends struggling with drug or alcohol abuse, they worry about the health of their loved ones. They worry about the addicts’ families, their finances, their jobs, and their living situations. They worry if their loved ones’ addictions will lead them to be hurt or arrested, or whether the loved ones will hurt other people. They worry that the addictions will kill their loved ones.

Spotting and addressing these addictions is also confusing and scary. Addiction is complex. People might not be sure if their loved ones are dealing with drug and alcohol abuse or another condition. They might not be sure if they should address the physical aspects or the emotional aspects of the condition or both.

Other people might be afraid to address their loved ones’ drug and alcohol problems because they’re afraid of what would happen if they acknowledge such substance use disorder. Still others might not know how to talk about alcohol or drug abuse. They might be afraid that if they say the wrong thing, things will get worse.

Fear can be paralyzing. Addiction can be so overwhelming that people might not know what to do or where to start.

If friends and relatives want to help people dealing with drug and alcohol abuse, they might want to begin by doing some research. They could research the signs of addiction to determine whether their loved ones are in fact dealing with abuse.

Research could also help people plan an intervention for their loved ones. This research could help people decide what they’re going to say and how they’re going to say it. They can anticipate what their addicted loved ones are going to say and do when they discuss addiction with them. This research can also help them explore treatment options for their loved ones.

Addiction is scary, but a little work can make it less scary.