When you’re dealing with a loved one’s addiction to drugs, it can be an incredibly frustrating daily situation. You have probably already encouraged them to seek treatment and didn’t get the response you wanted. The reality is that most addicts do not willingly enter treatment by themselves. Intervention is often necessary. It’s a common myth that individuals must be willing to get help themselves for it to be effective. In most cases, addicts start on the path to recovery because friends or family recognized the problem and took proactive steps to get them into drug intervention programs.
The First Step In Helping Your Addicted Loved One
The first step in getting a friend or family member help is to educate yourself. This can be accomplished by attending local Al-Anon meetings or other support groups. Members can offer guidance for finding addiction treatment resources and will share their own experiences. Once you have the knowledge and resources to help a loved one, an intervention is often the next step.
What Is An Intervention?
An intervention is a meeting for family members and friends to communicate to the addict the severity of their problem. This can include details of how their life is being affected, as well as how the problem is impacting others. An intervention does not mean physically forcing someone into rehab, but it is supposed to serve as a serious wake-up call. An intervention should never be conducted casually without a plan of action in place. A well-thought-out intervention requires inviting family and friends to participate and a plan for transporting the individual to the drug rehab facility. You will also want to determine in advance how you will handle the situation if your loved one refuses help. Will there be repercussions such as stopping all financial support or other enabling behaviors? It’s vital to avoid the desire to have an intervention before you get all of the details of your plan in place. You may want to consider getting assistance from a professional interventionist who can help you prepare participants to keep the conversation on track with your loved one and inspire positive change.
Don’t Make Idle Threats
The decision to enter treatment is ultimately up to your loved one. If he or she chooses not to accept help, the consequences for their actions need to begin right away. This form of “tough love” can be difficult for all involved, but it is the only way to communicate that you’re serious about getting them into a recovery program. Don’t back down or give in. Not maintaining your resolve will only communicate that you’re not serious about getting them help.
Support Their Treatment
Once in treatment, it’s essential to follow the advice of the treatment center’s team of specialists. Do not override their advice. Instead, provide encouragement and support to enable your loved one to solely focus on their recovery. Seeking treatment for a loved one who is addicted to drugs or alcohol is never easy. However, it is a battle that is well worth the effort. Start by calling us now for a confidential consultation with one of our admissions representatives.
We Will Guide You & Your Loved One Toward Healing & Freedom From Addiction!
