Support for Friends and Family

First, take care of yourself. The healthier you are, the more you can handle stress and support the people you love.

• Eat well, get enough sleep, and exercise daily. Doing these things will stabilize your energy levels and produce natural stress-relieving hormones.
• Limit or avoid alcohol and drugs. They don’t relieve stress and often add to it.
• Take time for yourself. Doing things like deep breathing, meditation, and progressive muscle relaxation can reduce stress and give you the space you need to think clearly.
• Get the support you need. Remember, it’s not your fault and you’re not alone.
• Decide how much physical, emotional, and financial support you can provide to your loved one, and tell them in clear terms what you are and are not willing to do or put up with. Learn how to set healthy boundaries and practice doing it. 

The National Institute on Drug Abuse has practical tips about how to talk about substance abuse with a friend or loved one, and good resources on dependency and addiction.

If a family member or friend you know has been prescribed opioids, or if they have had a surgery, injury or chronic pain where pain medication may have been prescribed, ask if they’re using opioids and find out their plan for stopping use. Learn about different treatment options and where to find help.

Learn about addiction and the signs of addiction. 

• Slurred speech
• Stumbling while walking
• Dizziness or confusion
• Excessive drowsiness or difficulty staying alert
• Difficulty waking from sleep

• Slow, shallow breathing
• Extreme sleepiness
• Inability to talk, or unconsciousness
• Blue or grayish skin color
• Dark lips and fingernail
• Snoring or gurgling sounds

Know how to respond to an overdose and call for emergency medical attention if any of these signs appear:

• Failure to respond when spoken to
• Failure to wake up when prompted
• Slow or no breathing
• Tiny pupils (the center part of the eye)
• Fingernails or lips are turning blue or purple

After calling for emergency help, use Narcan if available.

• Learn about naloxone, a drug that blocks or reverses the effects of heroin or opioid prescriptions
• Make sure they know how to get tested for serious infections that can result from injection drug use

Talk to your children about drugs, why people use them and why they are harmful. When discussing drug use with your kids, remember to:

• Employ age-appropriate advice and keep talking about it as kids get older
• Focus on the facts, including how prescription medicines can be helpful to people if used appropriately
• Set clear rules and expectations around drug use
• Give kids an out – maybe a code word they can call or text if they’re in a situation they want to get out of quickly
• Keep the door open whenever they want to talk
• Do positive, healthy things with your kids

Keep in the mind the importance of modeling and discussing ways of handling stress, crises, and the ups and downs of daily life without relying on alcohol or drugs. 

Support groups for families and friends of people who are addicted:

In-person

• Al-Anon Family Groups
• Nar-anon

Online

• Partnership for a Drug-free America forum for parents
• Learn2Cope forum for friends and families
• Mothers and Fathers Against Heroin
• The Addict's Mom