One of the most challenging aspects of recovery, specifically when it involves a loved one, is trying to convince them that it is time for them to go to a treatment center or rehab for addiction therapy. Not everyone is ready to admit that they have a problem with drugs or alcohol, and it can be a very touchy subject for most.
Drug and Alcohol Addiction is a Family Disease
Drug and alcohol addiction is unfortunately becoming more and more common among individuals in the US, and not everyone gets the treatment they desperately need. When a person uses a substance such as a drug or alcohol inappropriately, or to excess, then it could indicate that they have developed a substance abuse problem and have become an addict.
When someone becomes addicted to something, it does not just affect the person, but the other people around them including family members, friends or loved ones. Alcoholism and drug addiction is a family disease, and can be debilitating to everyone involved. Often, when someone is suffering from addiction they will do things out of their normal character such as lying, stealing or pawning items for money in order to sustain their drug or alcohol abuse problem.
The National Institute of Drug Abuse, estimated that approximately 22.7 million Americans, or 8.6% of the population needed drug abuse or alcohol abuse treatment in 2013. Of the 8.6%, only 2.5 million Americans which totalled 0.9% of the population received treatment at a rehab facility.
The best option for treating an addiction is to get help at a residential addiction treatment program such as Inland Detox. The treatment therapy modalities used will treat the symptoms associated with addiction and the reasons for substance abuse. If you would like more information on our programs for you or a loved one, please contact us right away.
How to Encourage a Loved One to Get Help
Watching a family member or loved one suffer from addiction can be extremely difficult. The solution may seem easy to just encourage them to go to a treatment or rehab center program, but it may not be this simple. Being their family, we understand that they need to get help for their addiction. We recognize that they have the ability to get treatment and become free from drugs or alcohol and create a new life for themselves, but convincing the person who is addicted may not always be easy.
When someone you love is suffering from an addiction, it is natural for the family to worry and want to help. Sometimes this “help” ends up being in the form of begging, pleading or attacking the addict in an attempt to get them into treatment. Trying to push a person into rehab is not the answer and could potentially make things worse.
Can You Force Someone to Get Help?
The short answer is yes, but only in certain circumstances. If you are the parent or guardian of a minor child then you are able to place your loved one in a treatment facility. Some states in the US allow a form of involuntary alcohol treatment and drug abuse treatment in severe situations, but not all states in the US offer this.
If the above situations are not present then it is not always possible to “force” someone to go to treatment, no matter how hard you may try. Trying to force a family member to go to treatment could actually make things harder for everyone involved.
Set Healthy Boundaries
The healthiest, most important decisions you can make about a family member or loved one’s addiction are about yourself. Even when a loved one is not healthy, it is still possible to set healthy boundaries with them. When addiction chaos occurs, it is certainly important to find ways to ease the discomforts and unpredictability with some boundaries with loved ones.
One way to set boundaries is to have limits on what you can or cannot do.It is crucial to ensure that everyone knows what is acceptable in the situation and set limits on what your intentions are. This will make everyone the most comfortable during the process.
Supporting Versus Enabling
You are probably wondering how to support a loved one during their treatment. In order to convince our loved ones that they need residential treatment you need to ensure you are being supportive but not enabling inappropriate behaviors. The line between supporting a loved one to get help and enabling them is not always crystal clear.
Although supporting and enabling more or less mean the same thing, it is important to know what types of help a loved one needs in order to move into recovery. For example, driving a person to their treatment program would be considered support, but covering for a person because they are hungover and cannot make it work is enabling their alcoholism or drug addiction.
Intervention
You have probably heard of an addiction intervention or seen one on a TV show or movie. There are times when a family member needs to step in and take action in order to convince someone that it is time to get addiction therapy at a residential addiction treatment center program. The first step of an intervention is to speak with the addict about their problem, and the second step is to support them in getting the right help and services at an addiction treatment center.
It is important to be prepared for what may happen during an intervention. There will be lots of concerns and reasons why they “can’t” go to an addiction treatment center to get help. Some common things that are heard during an intervention include:
- I can’t take the time off
- It is too expensive
- I will lose my job
- My family needs me at home
- It will not work (this is common for people who have tried rehab before)
Despite the challenges you may face during an intervention, it is an opportunity to set healthy boundaries between you and your loved one. If you need assistance with an intervention or would like more information about our rehab and intervention services at Inland Detox, please contact us.
Treating Two Family Members in Treatment
You may be in a situation where you wonder how to treat two family members in drug detox or treatment. It is possible for both members of the family to get treatment at the same time, in fact it is encouraged for both to be treated at the same time.
In some situations it may be necessary for each family member to get help at separate treatment facilities depending on their situation and what type of addiction they suffer from. The first step in achieving recovery for two family members is to contact Inland Detox to determine the best treatment plan.
Choosing a Treatment Rehab
It can be difficult to know which treatment rehab program is best for your loved one to address their drug or alcohol addiction problem. Some programs may be more focused on getting help for alcohol addiction, while other programs are better for treating drug addiction.
Some things to consider before deciding on a drug addiction rehab for a loved one is the cost or insurance taken, treatment program methods, and family support options. Depending on the circumstances, you and your loved one may be looking for one or more of the following treatment therapy services:
- Drug or alcohol detox
- Support groups
- Medical treatment
- Clinical therapy
- Residential rehab
The range of treatment options will vary from rehab to rehab, which is why it is important to do your research before selecting a treatment center.
Treatment at Inland Detox
Inland Detox is a drug and alcohol addiction treatment center and rehab that offers individualized treatment for each person that comes to our facility. If an addict would like traditional treatment methods we cater to that; on the other hand if the addict is looking for a less traditional or holistic approach we are happy to do that as well.
Our alcohol and drug addiction treatment therapy protocols and recovery methods are unlike any others in the country. Some of our specific program services include family counseling, intervention, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), yoga, life skills education, nutrition and coping skills training. We understand the difficulties that addiction may cause for not only the addict, but for the family as well. In order to help a loved one get help for their addiction, they need to feel comfortable with the treatment center that they will be admitted to.
The First Step to Your Recovery
The first step to your recovery is to contact us and discuss your background, circumstances and concerns for needing treatment. From there, our staff can determine what type of treatment will be best for you. All of our treatment programs are individualized based on each client, which is why we need to gather as much information as we can before you are admitted to our rehab program.
If you or a loved one are suffering from the disease of addiction, residential addiction treatment could be right for you. Please call us to speak with one of Inland Detox’s compassionate staff members, available 24/7. Addiction help is just a phone call away.