What it takes to get a loved one into rehab
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Private Treatment Centers in Canada
What does it take to get a loved one into rehab? This is a question that has many family members mystified. It’s often not fully understood how far disconnected someone can get with drugs or alcohol. In fact, most individuals will be withdrawn to such a degree that they are not even aware of personal hygiene.
You have most likely seen your son or daughter’s living quarters as a disaster zone—laundry not done, bills scattered around, dishes left unwashed, etc. Getting someone into rehab may require some preliminary steps.
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The example above does not cover all people with substance abuse problems. There are those that are functional and still consume more than they should. Often, these persons can only function if under the influence of some drug or a few ounces of alcohol.
This article aims to demonstrate the steps required before you can actually get an agreement that help is needed. When a person is under the influence of cocaine, opiates, weed, or alcohol, they are not fully connected or aware of their existing environment.
A key component to helping a loved one get into rehab and a vital action is education. This education is for you. The person who wishes to help the addict. You should get yourself well informed on the subject in question. If the substance is Crystal Meth, then learn all you can about it. If your loved one is abusing amphetamines, then find out about it, etc.
Knowing the substance will put you on a footing that permits you to understand the person’s struggles. It will de-mystify the subject to some degree. There exists a lot of information on the subject of drugs and alcohol. A good starting place is on our page on mind-altering substances.
What problem is the person seeking to solve with their substance use? It is important to develop a friendly and safe relationship with the person and not be judgemental. You could ask, “What problem are you trying to solve with pot, amphetamines, alcohol, etc.?” The response can vary as wide as “I’m fed up with life,” “I can’t deal with work,” or being shy around the opposite sex. It may take a while for them to open up.
Each person will have their own issue that causes emotional or psychological pain or discomfort of some form. But don’t just accept a big general problem like, “Life is too hard.” Find a more specific problem in life that is affecting the person. Having the person voice what the problem is – that they have no solution for – will bring about some open dialogue. Now you can propose options of professional help for such issues.
What does it take to get a loved one into rehab? Above all, a continuous and constant interest in their well-being. You know that they are wasting away, harming themselves and others. You know they need professional help. You can do something about it. There are people available to guide you in your efforts to find good treatment programs.
Even the tough cases can be brought to change. It simply requires the right action for them to decide. In one instance, it occurred by a 7-year-old child who wrote a touching letter stating they didn’t want their uncle to die from drugs. In another case, all members of the family cut ties with the addict, with the only exception of her accepting to go to rehab. This comes under the heading of “tough love.”
Down deep, most people who do drugs or drink don’t want to continue this lifestyle. They simply do not know what to do. And when options are proposed the idea of stopping their consumption is just too much. Because the person knows that you’re telling them to get rid of their solution that keeps the problem hidden away. They know that if they give up drugs or alcohol, they will be miserable, in pain, and a complete mess.
This is often seen as a fear of change or failure. It happens when they don’t have the proper tools to deal with day-to-day life. After Detox, rehab is where they find these tools. But the person can’t see this. They must rely on what you say or the facility intake counsellors say.
Experience has taught that people who complete the detox step and rehab phase will testify that they now feel much more able. They now understand what the family was trying to do. The person now recognizes the terrible suffering they put family and friends through.
So, never give up on a struggling substance abuser. Solutions and hope are available. All you need to do is reach out. And follow through until the person actually makes it back to a drug-free lifestyle. It can be done, it has been done, you can do it too.
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