Rehab for Family or Friends

Watching someone you love spiraling downward in addiction is one of the most painful and helpless sensations you can experience. Arranging a drug rehab for family members is one of the ways we can help most, however. When someone is caught up in the whirlwind of addiction, they often fail to find time to even manage their finances, health, career or relationships. Hitting the pause button to look for a treatment program can seem overwhelming or terrifying to the person in active addiction. You can be a part of the solution here. The first thing to do is gather information.

You should have a sense of what drugs or alcohol your loved one is using and an idea of how much, how often if possible. If the person is working or has a spouse or parent who is working, determine if they have health insurance or someone who might help finance rehab for family members. That will go a long way towards helping secure rehab for family members in crisis. Finally, gauge their willingness to accept help. Many people will be resistant at first, but the truth is no one wants to stay stuck in addiction. The predominant emotion is fear. The person you love may act angry, but more than anything they are afraid. Do your best to listen and alleviate that fear.

To prepare to find drug rehab for family members or friends:

Try to find out what drugs are being used.

Find out how much, how often and by what method, if you can (i.e. smoking, injecting, etc.)

Determine if they have insurance coverage or someone who might help financially.

Gauge their level of willingness to accept help. Are they open to the idea of rehab at all?

Rehab for Family Who Doesn’t Want to Go

There seems to be so much we can do for the people we love, so much they bring to our lives, but when it comes to really helping a family member in an addiction crisis, we can feel stuck. If the person we love balks at the idea of going to rehab for addiction, what can you do? The truth is the situation isn’t as hopeless as it may seem. Remember, no one truly wants to stay in addiction. The biggest reason fear about rehab for family members is usually withdrawal symptoms and a lack of control.

Believe it or not, even when someone is caught up in addiction, the often still cling to the illusion that they are in control. The fears surrounding rehab for family members is that they have to stop using and they have to trust someone else to get them through the detox process comfortably. Not only that, but they have to face life sober. Many people living with addiction fear not only withdrawal, but sobriety. Being clear-headed and having to face the truth can be terrifying. The key is to narrow their focus.

Put them at ease the best you can. Let them know you are going to look out for them. They will have a comfortable detox. They are going to be OK. They just have to let go and trust a little bit at a time. But most importantly, they do not need to worry about the rest of their lives or how they are going to live sober. That line of thinking is a no-go zone this early on. You want them to focus on 24-hours at a time. If there is even a small amount of willingness, or your loved one will at least admit that they don’t have control and probably need help, that’s a start! If someone is completely resistant to help, then a family or professional intervention may be your best option to initiate rehab for family members who won’t even consider treatment at this time.

Tips for family members or friends who resist or refuse treatment:

Let them feel safe talking to you. Don’t judge or scold them. Listen.

Apply very gentle, even pressure. Work towards admitting they have a problem first.

Narrow their focus. Keep them thinking about the next 24-hours, not the rest of their lives.

Don’t enable them by providing money or insulating them from consequences if they refuse help.

Consider a family or professional intervention if you are unable to make progress.

Harmony Healing Center can Help

Harmony Healing Center provides sound, evidence-based dual diagnosis treatment for addiction to drugs and alcohol. We have the therapies and support the person you loves needs to begin recovery successfully and sustain it as a way of life. No matter what challenges you are facing in getting a loved one into rehab, we’re likely to have seen them before. You don’t have to climb this mountain alone. We’ve been up and down it many times, give us a call and we can help you put together a sensible plan so you can start getting the person you love the help they need and deserve. We are just a phone call away.