The Miracles Asia News Feed

When someone you care about is in treatment, it is natural to want to show support in a tangible way. A thoughtful gift can be a reminder that they are not alone, and research suggests it can help emotionally. Brain-imaging research shows that giving and receiving gifts can activate reward and pleasure pathways linked to motivation and positive mood. Psychologists also describe a “warm glow” effect, where gift-giving is connected to social connection and trust, which can matter when someone is doing hard internal work.

That said, the best gifts during treatment are not symbolic or intense.

Watching someone you care about spiral deeper into addiction is gut-wrenching. You want to help. You’ve probably already tried. But when they shut the door on treatment, it can feel like you’re out of options.
Sometimes it’s someone who’s never taken the first step; still convinced they can handle it on their own.
Other times, it’s a relapse. Round two (or three) of a battle they thought they’d already won. If you’re in this second group, we’ve written a full guide on what to do when someone you love relapses.