How can you frame your prayers for someone who is struggling with addiction? We offer some suggestions here. Then, we invite your questions, comments, or experiences about praying forsomeone who is addicted to drugs or alcohol at the end.

An Addict Makes Her Own Choices

Many times, when we have a loved one who is addicted, the best thing we can do is stand back and let them make their own choices. It can be upsetting to watch them make unhealthy and self-harming decisions, but that doesn’t mean that we are completely helpless when it comes to recovery.

Q: What can you do about it?
A: Pray

“Son, my father told me recently, the only true weapon that had any effect on me…was to pray. There were even times I could feel the prayers and many days they gave me a new courage to take a step.”  

My father struggled with alcoholism for many years, and until he was ready to make the change, we were unable to save him from his choices. However, what we could do was pray.

6 Things To Pray For
Here are six things you can pray for regarding an addict:

1. Pray for acknowledgement.
Pray that your loved one will realize they have an addiction and that they are hurting themselves and others around them.

2. Pray that they move past self-pity and loathing.
After my father had gained awareness about his disease, he had to move past the hate, shame and guilt he put on himself after years of addiction. Pray that they will understand how valuable their lives are that that their experiences could one day be used to help heal others.

3. Pray for desire to heal.
After my father moved from self-loathing and pity, he was finally ready to seek healing. However, he had to find a reason to heal that was stronger than his desire to drink. Pray that the addict in your life finds the reason they want to quit, and it will help them move past their substance abuse.

4. Pray for properly trained support.
Addicts needs support that is not only physical but spiritual. They need help figuring out their triggers, turning points, and what gives them the courage to get through the day. Pray that the addict in your life not only finds support from family and friends, but also finds strong accountability.

5. Pray that God gives them the strength.
Addicts have to make the choice NOT TO USE DRUGS OR ALCOHOL each and every day. They have to choose to go against their desire and choose the healthiest path. Pray that God helps your loved one to choose the path and keeps them whole.

6. Pray for forgiveness.
Breaking the cycle of addiction is not easy. The addict in your life may take a couple steps forward, and a couple steps back. Pray that you can offer the forgiveness they need when they make mistakes. Moreover, be willing to forgive many times as they walk this difficult path toward recovery.

Our Prayers Have Value
My father has worked incredibly hard to work past his addiction to become a healthy person. I am so proud of him and the work he did to become the wonderful man he is today. It was only through applying God’s principles to his personal journey that he was able to overcome obstacles and create a life of peace.

No matter what, our prayers have value, and they can help those who are struggling with addiction to move forward toward healing and rehabilitation.

In your Service,
Stephen Scoggins

Photo credit: Wiki Media Commons


Does everything seem to revolve around the addict in your family? How does a family member’s drug addiction hurt your family? We will address how addiction impacts not only the addict but their entire family and give you some suggestions on how to help your family heal. Then, we invite your questions, comments, and experiences at the end.

Addiction Creates A New Norm
There becomes a new norm when a person in the family is grappling with addiction. Typically, when a family member has an issue, the family can get together to help that person get through the rough time. With addiction it may not be that simple. 

Why? Because addiction and family dysfunction often come together.

There is no one way to deal with an addict and because we love that person, sometimes what is best for them does not seem like it. The more help your family provides, it seems like the deeper the addict goes into their addiction. The more you create an environment of love and support, the more the addict lies and manipulates friends and family.

Why Do Addicts End Up Hurting Their Families?
At first, they may be escaping some issue or pain. The addict knows that what they are doing is not right but they cannot help their urge to get high and escape. Then by the time they realize what is happening, they are physically and psychologically addicted to the high. Now they have to choose their family or their drug.

The drug usually wins.

An addict may not intend on hurting family. But in order to keep getting high they have no choice. Their internal struggle soon gets diluted in their high and, in time, hurting their family just becomes part of the process of getting what they need; drugs.

Division: The New Family Norm
All of the lies, the disappointment, the irresponsibility and watching a loved one hurt themselves can become very taxing; not just on the addict but especially on the family.  The family feels genuine pain alongside the addict.

Sometimes, this can tear families apart, leaving people in separate corners. The family can become divided. Some family members become enablers and some become distant to the addict, casting them out of their lives. Family members start to argue on how to handle the addict; some frustrated by the enabling and others frustrated by what seems like cruel treatment.

Now, not only is the addict struggling, but the family is hurt, divided, fighting and possibly separating. Addiction can impact the family in such a way that it can cause members to stop talking to one another. Addiction can trigger divorce and cause families to have ill feelings towards one another. It seems unfair that the family has an addict to take care of and now has to also deal with the secondary issues occurring within the unit.

Mend The Divide
Even if the addict is not in recovery, the family can be! Though the family may not agree on the best course of action…that is part of the road to recovery. Have hope that addiction and family issues can be worked out, and you CAN come to a point of agreement.

There will come a point where everyone in the family will become frustrated. In fact, it is important for there to be a divide, so mending the family can follow. If every family member does not do what they think is best and explore every avenue, they will feel they did not do everything they could do. Each person must go through their own journey and experience the addict on their own terms. Some need to learn how to love an addict without enabling them. Others need to come to a level of acceptance.

Once everyone has done their part, it is time to get together and re-evaluate the situation. Not everyone may get exactly what they want, but a balance can be achieved. This process can be a relief for families and allow them to start to trust one another again and feel like they are on the same team. Including a specialist may really help each person see their part and how they can get together and be on the same page in regards to the addict. Who can you ask for help?

• an intervention specialist
• a certified representative from Alcoholics Anonymous
• or a psychotherapist…

Each of these professionals can help the family come together and do what is best for the addict. A divided family can allow an addict to play family members against one another. An addict may find it easier to get what they need when they can do this. They can tell mom that dad is mean and make mom feel sorry for them. But remember: ENABLING does not help an addict!

When an addict sees that the family stands firm, a wall is created that is harder for the addict to penetrate. Mending a family can help the family heal regardless of the state of the addict but may also help the addict in the process.

Alcohol rehab process and procedures
Overcoming an alcohol problem is not a simple process. Quitting drinking for good requires a great deal of work and dedication from both the recovering alcoholic and the rehab specialists.

In order to better understand the alcohol rehab process and procedures, you should realize that it is usually broken down into several different stages. The four major stages of alcohol rehab include:

1. Assessment of the problem

Before anyone can be treated for an alcohol addiction, they must first be assessed by qualified professionals. During this assessment, a recovering alcoholic will undergo a complete mental health exam. This will help addiction specialists determine the severity of the addiction as well as identify and diagnose any underlying mental health problems. Additionally, assessment can include a drug test to evaluate whether or not detox will be necessary.  The initial assessment is also used to determine the best course of treatment during alcohol rehab.

2. Alcohol detox (if necessary)

When you enter an alcohol rehab center, you may be admitted into a detox clinic within the facility.  Medical detox is recommended for heavy to seriously addicted alcoholics.  Alcohol withdrawal can very uncomfortable, with symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, tremors, insomnia, anxiety, and depression. Seizures, hallucinations and delerium can also occur during alcohol detox.  Some alcohol rehab facilities offer medical detox services, which can be used to help treat symptoms with medications and prevent early relapse. Other alcohol rehab facilities, on the other hand, may require that you seek detox in a separate clinic before entry.

3. Alcoholism psychological and pharmaceutical treatments  

Counseling and behavior therapy are some of the most common methods used to treat alcoholism. While attending the several therapy and counseling sessions in alcohol rehab, recovering alcoholics will learn a number of different methods to cope with and overcome addiction to alcohol. Various medications can also be used to help treat alcohol addictions. Some of these medications make people ill when they drink and others reduce the pleasure that an alcoholic feels when drinking.

4. Aftercare

Alcohol rehab often lasts for several months or years, even after completing a month long inpatient rehab program. Regular therapy and counseling sessions can help recovering alcoholics maintain their abstinence and cope with everyday problems.  A good alcohol rehab will help coordinate aftercare treatments for you, which can include living in a halfway house, alcoholism counseling, attendance in support groups, and/or outpatient alcohol rehab.  Continued care is very important to maintaining sobriety. After care programs aim to prevent relapse by connecting you with local resources and give you the best chances for an alcohol free life.

Is alcohol rehab successful?
The main goal of any alcohol rehab program is to treat an alcoholic and help him or her become productive and self-sufficient without the use of alcohol. Overall, alcohol treatment is usually successful. However, its success depends on a couple of very important factors.

First, a person must be willing to dedicate himself to staying in recovery. This is usually not a problem if a person is motivated and willing to make a change. Support from loved ones is also a very important factor when it comes to whether or not a recovering alcoholic will stay in treatment.

Alcohol rehab professionals also play a small part in the success of the treatment. They must be able to develop a treatment plan based on each individual person’s wants and needs, for instance. They should also be ready to evaluate a recovering alcoholic’s progress and make any necessary changes to the treatment plan.

Is alcohol rehab effective?
In the long run, alcohol rehab is very effective compared to the alternative. Let’s take a look at the economic aspects of it.

According to a study released by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), alcoholism in the United States cost the United States and its citizens roughly $148 billion dollars in 1992. These costs included lost wages, loss of productivity, health problems, legal matters, family problems, and civil matters. The monetary value of treatment in the same year, on the other hand, was equal to just a small percentage of this.

The overall effectiveness of individual alcohol rehab, however, mostly comes down to the person going through it. basically, you get back what you put into it. There are a few things that can be done to make treatment more effective, such as staying away from places and people that may trigger you to drink. A recovering alcoholic will also benefit from a strong support system of understanding friends and family members. Some recovering alcoholics may even find it helpful to post a list of the reasons they quit drinking where they can see it every day. Finally, treatment for recovering alcoholics that participate in follow-up treatment is generally more effective.