Signs that may indicate a client or client’s family member has a drug, alcohol or other addiction (such as gambling or compulsive spending) include sudden suspicious withdrawals, voicemails left in the middle of the night, broken promises, unusual or increased purchases and abrupt changes in family dynamics, she said.
One of her clients needed money to replenish an account because the client’s son was making unauthorized withdrawals. Another client had to reschedule calls because he was visiting his son. When Seeber said it must’ve been a wonderful visit, the client responded that it wasn’t fun. Mindful of not being nosy, she casually asked during later calls how his son was. After their fifth conversation, he told her his son had an opioid addiction.
She likens this slow progression of dialogue to how one might “pull on that thread that unravels the sweater,” she said. However, “you’ll be surprised at how open people will eventually be once they gather trust in you,” she said. She’s also had advisors open up about their loved ones’ addictions upon learning she shares their struggles.
There’s a big difference between today’s popular drugs and alcohol, added Seeber. Alcoholics can function for a very long period but “with Xanax, heroin and meth,” she said, “the window of time that you have to help someone and be proactive has collapsed.”