How would I help someone with an addiction?

1) Look at WHY they have an addiction. Say for example I have a friend who is an alcoholic. I would try and help them get to the bottom of why they drink so much.

E.g…

– Did they lose their job? – Are they in financial trouble consequently and drinking to avoid reality?
– Are they being bullied at work/school? Does drinking alleviate the pain temporarily?
– Have they lost a family member or friend in recent times/Have they been through a relationship breakdown/Have they suffered some form of loss – Have they/did they had/have counselling? Have they allowed themselves to grieve properly? Have they tried to draw a line under the past? For want of a better phrase, have they “dealt” with what happened?

2) Do what I could to help them.

Of course, the big thing about addiction is – the above is only really an option if the person with the addiction wants to break this addiction. It is no good telling someone with an addiction “right, you’re an addict, you’ve got to deal with it” – they have to a) realise they have an addiction, and b) want to do something about it themselves.

If you are faced with someone who has an addiction of some kind, but refuses to admit it, I have to confess I am not sure how to handle that one…