When we think of addiction, we typically think of the addict. But addiction hurts much more than just the person who is using it.

On the contrary, addiction hurts the person’s family, friends, and society as a whole.

If you’re suffering from addiction, you aren’t suffering in isolation. Unfortunately, everyone suffers along with you.

Here’s how addiction hurts other people in your lives.

Your loved ones hurt when you suffer

When people who love you are left to watch you suffer, it hurts them deeply. Since someone who is addicted to drugs or alcohol must want to get help, loved ones end up feeling powerless. They so desperately want to snap you out of it, but they simply cannot.

Your loved ones feel isolated

Not only does it hurt your loved ones to see you in pain, but they also are distanced from you, and that’s painful too. People who you used to be close with now have to suffer the loss of a friend or family member. Even though you’re still among us, addiction takes the heart and soul of who you are away from the family.

Changes people’s life views

The people in your life probably never saw this path ahead. Then, they find themselves in the midst of an immense struggle that they would have never anticipated. This can cause depression and anxiety among your friends and family, and it can have a snowball effect on the rest of their lives. Think about how you feel when things are going wrong with your relationships. It can be challenging to have hope when you’re worried that the rug is going to get pulled out from under you at any time. The same is true for the people around you. Even knowing someone casually who falls victim to addiction can have an impact on someone’s life view.

Addiction changes society

As more people become addicted to drugs and alcohol, society feels the brunt of addiction. Emergency rooms are flooded with overdose cases, and drunk driving is rising. Someone who is addicted to drugs or alcohol is more likely to steal or cause physical injury while under the influence. This has an obvious, and sometimes devastating, impact on the world at large. Many injuries and even deaths are caused by people who are under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and this has a major ripple effect that impacts victim’s families.

If you’re struggling with addiction, understand that your struggles do not stop with yourself. Everyone around you is struggling with you, and that’s only part of the reason why they want to see you succeed.

If you’re not sure whether you have an addiction, you can contact an addiction specialist to learn if you need a detox. The longer you have been addicted to drugs or alcohol, the more intense your detox is likely to be. This is why it’s important to detox under the care of a professional.

For your own health and the health of those around you, seek help if you’re struggling with addiction.

In reality, we can feel bad about how our actions impact others and society at large. But when we want to make lasting change, we must do it for ourselves.

If you’re struggling with addiction, know that you’re not alone, and it’s nothing to be ashamed about. Addiction has been on the rise for the past decade. We’ve reached a point where this disease touches virtually every household.

It’s never too late to get help and claim the life you deserve. Find an addiction counselor in your local area today.

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