Coming across hidden drugs at home is an incredibly difficult and emotional time. It is normal to want to jump right in and confront the suspected owner about the drugs to take immediate action. However, finding hidden drugs is also a very delicate time, and approaching the situation with the right intentions, mindset, and strategies is paramount.
Finding hidden drugs necessitates the need for healing and treatment, and The Redpoint Center can help each person not only overcome the use of drugs but also help families and loved ones through the difficult time of finding hidden drugs at home.
Finding Hidden Drugs
Upon finding hidden drugs, it can birth a host of challenging emotions. Such emotions might include:
- Anger
- Resentment
- Self-blame
- Frustration
- Sadness
- Worry
Remember, this discovery can be the catalyst for change if approached with intention. The guidance of Redpoint can provide families with the right strategies to empower a loved one to pursue healing.
Assess the Situation Before Making Assumptions
It is common to make assumptions or jump to conclusions when finding hidden drugs. However, it is still important to have an honest conversation. Making assumptions about drugs based only on where or when the drugs were found can lead to incorrect conclusions.
For example, finding drugs in a common space, like the living room or kitchen, and assuming that it must be a person’s child can make communication difficult. Rather, looking for other signs of drug use is crucial before having an effective conversation about drug use.
Some other signs of drug use that can further inform the situation when finding hidden drugs could include:
- Isolated lifestyles, such as disconnecting from family, spending time in their room or other private space such as a garage or workspace
- Changes in daily routine
- Increased feelings of anxiety or depression
- Adopting a secretive lifestyle, such as going out without telling others, returning at odd times, locking doors, and more
- Sudden changes in social groups, either with new friends from school, work, or other hangouts
- Inability to tend to responsibilities, such as homework, professional responsibilities, household chores, or other domestic obligations
- Sudden changes in finances, such as not having money for necessities or money going “missing”
Explore other evidence of drug use: Identifying symptoms of immediate use, knowing of exact times or situations that were influenced by drugs, and asking why responsibilities or finances have been compromised can all be powerful approaches to a conversation about drugs without making preemptive assumptions.
Get the Whole Picture
Unfortunately, discussing drug use with a child, spouse, or family member will always be difficult. Having the most complete picture possible is necessary. This may mean looking for drugs that may be hidden in other places.
Keeping drugs in personal locations behind locked doors or other places where others would not frequent, such as a personal office, personal car, inside personal items, and more, are all common.
However, invading personal space can birth further resentment, and having a conversation and providing loved ones with an opportunity to provide the whole picture is necessary.
Keep It a Conversation
While confronting a loved one about hidden drugs is difficult, it is important to keep it a conversation. Staying calm is necessary for being able to fairly assess the situation and handle the difficult conversation ahead. Taking a deep breath, holding, counting, and more are all powerful strategies to ensure that other effective strategies can be fairly employed.
Reminding a loved one that they have love and support can help them open up and speak their side of the story, ask questions themselves, and create an honest dialogue. While lying can be common to hide drug use, using evidence collected can help loved ones confront their own use of drugs rather than feel as if it is an accusation.
Ask the Right Questions
Asking the right questions is also paramount. Some powerful questions can be:
- Why do you feel the need to use drugs?
- How much money do you spend on drugs exactly?
- Do you feel accepted because of drug use or in spite of it?
- Have you questioned your own use before?
Each of these prompts loved ones to consider their own relationship with drugs rather than facilitate an argument.
Engaging in Treamtent
Dedicated outpatient treatment is paramount for challenging drug use while rebuilding familial relationships with a child, spouse, or other family member. Redpoint helps to educate families to learn about and manage addiction together.
The Redpoint Center’s outpatient treatment programs create an environment where clients and their families feel empowered to recognize the need for change. Remember, addiction is a disease, and it will take patience from families to work through the process of confronting and managing addiction together.
Finding hidden drugs at home presents an incredibly difficult situation, and families and loved ones must address the situation together to create an effective plan for sobriety. At Redpoint, we understand the importance of not just personal healing but also familial healing to create a genuinely effective and comprehensive approach to sobriety. Finding hidden drugs can be the catalyst for change, and our use of proven therapeutic modalities, life skills, experiential therapies, and more can all be combined to address the use of drugs and their impact on individuals and families alike. For more information on how we can support you and your family throughout the healing journey, call to speak to us today at (303) 710-8496.
