When patients leave our residential rehab in Palm Springs, their journey ahead is sure to be filled with both ups and downs.

Sobriety is a lifelong commitment and support is a necessary component of success.

While many people may be willing to help you in your recovery journey, for them this may be uncharted territory. They may not be sure how to help and hesitant to overstep any boundaries. Instead of letting them try to tightrope this line alone, asking for help in recovery could help both you and them.

How to Ask for Help in Recovery

While asking someone for help seems easy enough, many people in recovery struggle to do so. They may be concerned that their loved ones haven’t forgiven them or are just too proud to admit they need the support, but asking for help in recovery could be the difference between lasting sobriety and relapse.

Our drug rehab in Palm Springs, California is sharing some tips on how to deal with drug-addicted parents so that both you and your parents get the help you need.

Take Up Someone’s Offer

When someone offers to be there for you or to help, don’t just politely thank them. Now is a good time to accept their offer or ask them to help you with something specific you need. They are already offering so you know that they are already ready and willing to be there for you.

If you simply tell someone that you need help, they may not know what to do or how to give you the assistance you are looking for. Being specific when asking for help during recovery can not only increase the chances that you will get the help you need, but can also make asking for help easier.

Be Honest with Your Struggles

If you are not being truthful about your struggles in early recovery or covering up some of your residual issues, then asking for help can be intimidating because you may feel like you need to divulge all of these problems at once and not being willing to do so. Instead, try to be honest throughout your recovery so each time you ask for help it isn’t accompanied by the exhausting idea of needing to include an extensive explanation.

Be Honest with Yourself

Along with being truthful with others, you need to be honest with yourself. Whether you want to admit it or not, you need help in recovery in order to be successful long-term. Pay attention to areas of addiction recovery you are struggling with the most so that you can address these issues early on with the support of others rather than letting them get out of control.

Use Alternative Means of Communication

If you are struggling to ask for help in addiction recovery in person, there are other ways of communicating that may be easier. Instead of talking face-to-face, you could ask them over the phone, send them a text, or even write them a letter. All of these forms of communication can be less intimidating than an in-person conversation and make asking for help in sobriety easier.

Talk to People in Recovery

You may find it easier to talk to people who have been in your shoes rather than your loved ones. You could also talk to them about any challenges they are having with asking for help in recovery and see if they have insight that could help you.

Ask Different People

While they may be willing, asking the same person to help you with everything is not only overwhelming for them, but may eventually leave you feeling guilty. Try to ask several different people for help and lean on your loved ones’ strengths. Ask your fit friend to work out with you, talk healthy eating with your health-conscious mother, turn to your rehab alumni group when you are struggling with triggers, and have your nonjudgmental sister go to recovery meetings with you. By spreading out the help you need and playing off your loved one’s strengths and interests, your loved ones will be more willing to help and you won’t feel so bad for asking.

Asking for help isn’t always easy, but it is a vital part of a successful recovery journey. While our drug and alcohol detox center is there to help people get sober initially, we are also there to help long after treatment is over. Recovery is a lifelong commitment, and at Banyan Palm Springs, we want to be there every step of the way.

If you or someone you love has a substance abuse problem and has yet to ask for help, call us today at 888-280-4763.