My family member is an addict and I don't get why they just can't stop now.

Addiction is like a mental illness, it's hard to be easily cured. They need professional help to be able to recover.

When you are addicted to something, there is a pull towards being in that state of mind again. Every moment that you spend not on the drug becomes a struggle, especially if you are craving it. If you are physically addicted, this is compounded with withdrawal symptoms that will only go away with a relapse. These factors make quitting something cold turkey an incredibly difficult thing to do, depending on the length of time the person has been consuming the drug. A crude analogy could be that it is comparable to fasting. It would take a great deal of effort to force yourself to starve to death, but if you had enough resolve, it is possible. The same goes for quitting a drug. Finally, it is important to remember that the withdrawal symptoms of some drugs are so severe that they can cause death if stopped abruptly. This is true for some benzodiazepines for example. You should always consult a health professional before attempting to quit something if you are addicted to it.

loving an addict can be a hard job. it's not always easy to understand behaviors that we can only see as self-destructive. Using is a (unhealthy) way to cope and it's not easy at all to learn new ways to deal with negative emotions and feelings. it takes time, dedication and support. Anyways, there are support group for families of recovering addicts you could join to better understand your emotions and the journey your family is going through.

Addiction is a difficult thing to go through. It sounds like they really need your love and support. Don't give up dear.

Addiction is a dependency. They cannot stop until they want to. As a family member you must support them and help them see that quitting their addiciton is the besy way.

Each addict has a threshold that must be reached, where they realize what the addiction has done to change their life. If the addict isn't at a point where he/she believes that the addiction is a problem or family members enable the addict, then the addiction will continue.

Addictions can be hard to shake. It is up to the individual and only them, to make the decision to stop.

Addiction is a dangerous thing, and if you're completely addicted then it becomes difficult to be rational. They should seek professional help and have the support of family to overcome this

Its a long road to recovery and will take time they have to face huge barriers not only in there mind set but face themselves and most will not like what they see and so the brain decides to try and alsmost trip them up if you like to.. saying its ok really to take that drug .. the thing the family member needs the most is strong family support professional help also someone to talk to like me on on 7 cups who get where they are

Addiction is a disease like another. They may be experiencing a lot of physical and psychological symptoms that are keeping them from stopping even if they want to.