You may be racking your brain to determine the most appropriate gifts for recovering drug addicts in your social or family circle (gift ideas for addicts).
It is a daunting challenge because you need to consider gifts that will hopefully encourage the recovering addict to continue on his chosen path. At the same time, you try to avoid those that may lead the recovering addict to relapse into old habits.
Gifts also cost money so you wouldn’t knowingly pick a gift that would be discarded as soon as it was unpacked.
Nevertheless, you need not be overly worried about what gift to buy a recovering addict, you only need to remind yourself constantly that a gift should be a token of love.
It helps to consider that many people got into drugs because they were miserable, misguided, or felt hopeless. They initially sought drugs and alcohol to cure their depression but it inadvertently turned into a habit. The drugs not only compounded their misery, but also put a strain on their relationships with friends and family.
The gifts you pick should, therefore, help rebuild broken relationships as well as serve a motivational and inspirational function. As such, you should consider gifts that can help improve their self-esteem, build self-respect, and strengthen their resolve to struggle for personal transformation.
You should also consider the occasion for the gift. It could be a birthday, a holiday, or an important milestone in their journey to recovery. But whatever the occasion, the most important consideration should be the well-being and happiness of the recipient.
Below are five gift ideas for addicts to help you make a relatively stress-free choice of what to get your loved one.
1. Custom Family Portrait
Admitting that one has an addiction problem and making the decision to enter a treatment or rehabilitation program is a major turning point in one’s life that should be acknowledged. A personalized gift such as a custom family portrait will help the recovering addict appreciate their achievement.
To procure a custom family portrait, there’s no need for the family to pose together; images of individual members may be sent separately for a designer to come up with a combined illustration.
It is the perfect gift to let them know of their family’s pride and support. A custom family portrait may also add meaning to the process of personal transformation and remind them of the need to stay sober and live a purposeful life.
2. Journal
Recovering from an addiction is a journey and a process. It, therefore, needs careful planning and strategic implementation. There’s no better gift to aid in that process than a personal journal.
A journal, if properly utilized, will help the recovering addict to take note of the milestones along his or her journey. The recording of milestones is important for boosting morale and gaining a sense of progress.
A journal will also help your loved one record personal experiences, mood swings, feelings, and interactions with different people along the way. The journal will also remind them of the reasons for deciding to take the journey. It will be an invaluable tool for memory and extremely useful if they later decide to share their story for the benefit of others in need of inspiration.
3. Activity, Adventure, and Events
Attending social events, engaging in physical or sporting activities, and going on adventures can also be counted among essential gifts for recovering drug addicts.
Such activities not only shift focus away from the lifestyle associated with drug abuse, but also enrich the lives of those involved as well as raise their self-esteem and confidence. They also increase the overall health of the participants. The increased focus on meaningful activity will reduce boredom and the risk of relapse.
You can choose an activity that the person once loved but gave up on in pursuit of his addiction or pick on something new and exciting such as an adventure or a new hobby. Attending social events may also be useful in helping them reintegrate into the community.
However, when choosing the events to attend, make sure to avoid situations where drugs and alcohol are readily available or openly abused.
4. Books
The abuse of drugs and alcohol is firmly entrenched in our western culture. You can be sure that your loved one is not the first to struggle with issues of drug addiction. So many prominent people have fought and won that very battle and shared their experiences in books.
A book is, therefore, one of the most appropriate gifts for inspiration and direction.
The importance of reading decent books cannot be overstated. Books not only teach, inform and enlighten; but they also inspire us to action. If the recovering addict is open to reading, you could choose for them self-help books, motivational books, or the life stories of others who faced similar challenges and overcame them.
Many individual lives have been positively impacted or transformed by reading a single book. So take time to find out the book genres the recovering addict prefers.
5. Life Skill Classes
The lack of life skills may also be the reason many people opt for drugs as a cure for their deficiencies. It is a major reason why recovering addicts relapse. You have probably heard a person saying that they drink to steady their nerves.
Enrolling a recovering addict in a life-skill training program is a worthy investment and an empowering gift. It is important for them to, for example, to be able to relate functionally with other individuals, be able to communicate or express themselves effectively, and to be able to cope with the stresses that are an inevitable part of life.
A Show of Love
The choice of a gift for a recovering drug addict may be challenging but it should not be stressful. What is necessary is to choose gifts that convey your love, care, and support for a loved one in a difficult situation.
Moreover, your gift is significant because it expresses recognition for your loved one’s effort and determination to transform their life. From your interactions, you may have ideas about your loved one’s likes and dislikes and so what gifts to get them and what to avoid.
