Talking to your loved on about going to rehab

Realizing that a friend, partner or family member is struggling with substance abuse is never a welcome revelation. The best path to recovery from addiction is through professional rehab as it allows your loved ones to get help for all aspects of substance abuse, not just the immediate symptoms.

The conversation leading up to rehab isn’t an easy one to have with many roadblocks and objections to be expected along the way. Thankfully there are ways to equip yourself for any resistance without feeling that you’ve betrayed their trust or tricked them into going.

Arm Yourself With Knowledge

Being able to put any concerns or worries to rest for the receiving party of the conversation both gives you more confidence to deliver the message and makes them trust your suggestion. Take time to research addiction treatment and what recovery actually means from government and educational sites.

While there is some value to be found in anecdotal advice from others, unqualified individuals aren’t the best source to pull information from. Learn what causes addiction, how it affects the mind and body and what long-term success looks like for different perspectives.

Stay the Course and Be Unbreakable

You don’t need to be forceful or demanding during your conversation. This can push those battling addiction to lean further into their vices instead of finding help. The decision ultimately has to come from your loved one in order for treatment to be effective.

Don’t mistake this for needing to coddle your loved one, instead stay focused on how substance abuse has negatively impacted them and those around them. It may take longer than expected, but at some point they’ll come to terms with the fact that getting help is the only way to get their life back.

It’s crucial that you avoid shaming or placing guilt on them for what’s happened. Once addiction has taken over, even the most well-intentioned person can quickly be consumed by cravings and driven by impulsive behavior.

Refuse To Enable Destructive Choices

It’s never easy to not lend a hand every time a loved one is in need. The issue comes from the fact that their negative consequences are only temporary as they know they’ll be bailed out by you or someone else close to them. You don’t have to fully cut them off or leave them to figure it out alone, but only offer support when it’s healthy for you to do so.

An effective approach to this is being a strong, positive role model they can look up to. It doesn’t matter if it’s a parent, close friend or a younger relative, anyone can position themselves as a mentor or something to strive for.

Part of being a positive influence for those in recovery is taking care of yourself. Helping a loved one come to the conclusion that they need help can put a strain on the relationship and lead to stress and anxiety for you as well. You won’t be able to lend yourself to others if there’s none of you left after dealing with your own worries throughout the day.

Reach Out to the Professionals When Needed

Truly recovering from addiction is more than just ending substance abuse. It takes a commitment to look deeper into what led to the initial drug or alcohol use before it turned into a dangerous condition. For some, thinking back to these times is a trigger for them to turn to their substance of choice.

In cases where addiction stems from trauma or underlying mental illness, it takes an experienced team of medical professionals to properly address each concern. When the time comes, America’s Rehab Campus is here to help. Our compassionate staff is standing by to answer any questions you may have about the recovery process and we encourage you to reach out today.