Getting an addict into rehab is not easy, but there are steps you can take that make the process more organized and achievable.
Recognize the addiction | and the mechanism behind it.
The first step in getting your loved one help is recognizing that there is a problem at all. Tune into mood swings, lowered motivation, difficulty working, and situations that are harmful to themselves or others. To learn more about the mechanisms of addiction check out these links from the National Institute of Drug & Alcohol.
Discuss the idea of rehab
If you are certain your loved one has an addiction, open the conversation about rehab. You might be met with hateful eyes and defensive words, or you might meet the agreement that a rehabilitation program is necessary or at least a good idea.
Research options
Research the various types of rehabs so that (together, hopefully), you can decide on a treatment program that will be the most effective for your loved one.
Discuss options amongst family and professionals
Before getting your loved one into rehab, you’ll want to discuss the details of insurance, payment, work leave and family absence. Make sure all details can pan out logistically before you stage an intervention.
Plan an intervention
Plan an intervention to propose rehab (a program you already have lined up if the addict accepts) as an act of love. Instead of presenting a program as a consequence, have a counselor help you through an intervention so your loved one understands it is a group wish for them to get help and come back to being a contributing member of the family.
Love and support
When you are working your way through the logistics of how to check someone into rehab, the stress of love, support, and understanding will be threaded throughout each step in the process. Rehab is not a punishment; it is an opportunity for the addict to get clean, healthy, and to straighten out his/her life. However, addicts do not always see rehab as a gift. Do everything you can to paint rehab in a positive picture and offer endless love and support for your loved one getting the help they need for themselves and for the entire family.
Consult a counselor
Maintaining your physical and mental health throughout the process of helping an addict recover is essential. The road to recovery is long and arduous and it takes many turns along an emotional rollercoaster. You will be more stable and more apt to help your loved one by seeing a counselor to talk through rehab logistics and the emotions that surface along the way.
How to get someone into rehab involuntarily?
In many (if not most) cases, you will face resistance to rehab. It’s tough to force an addict to get help if they do not recognize the problem, do not want help, or are not ready to face a life without the substance of addiction.
If you have addressed the addiction, discussed rehab, followed through on consequences, and quit enabling the situation, your last resort option is court-ordered treatment. In this case, you will need to show evidence of the addict attempting to harm themselves or someone else. If this is the last option you have to pursue, work with a professional to guide you through the steps, and make sure this type of protocol is necessary.
Learn More
To learn more about how to get an alcoholic to go to rehab or the options available to your loved one suffering from addiction, reach out to United Recovery Project.