How To Get A Loved One Into Rehab

It is heartbreaking to feel powerless as you watch someone you love spiral into the depths of addiction. The pain and suffering along with frustration can be unbearable.

The addict's loved ones often go through similar emotions and behaviours that the addict does. Here is a list of some of those similarities:

• Feelings of shame

• Feeling desperate and alone

• Lying about the extent of the problem (loved ones will lie to others about it)

• Sleepless nights

• Worry and stress

• Powerless

• Helpless

• Blaming themselves

• Feel like giving up

• Co-dependency

• Anxiety and depression

The lives of everyone involved descend into misery and trying to get your loved one into rehab is challenging. How to get a loved one into rehab is a question we are asked all the time.

You may have already tried to do this without success and maybe you have been met with resistance. You would have also heard the empty addicts promise time and time again that yes, they will do it tomorrow.

The first thing that is needed is some education for you about addiction. You need some professional advice to help you understand what addiction is because often loved ones are angry at the person for doing this to them and they cannot understand why they just cannot stop.

Addiction is defined by the inability to stop using despite knowing the negative consequences. It is not just a matter of willpower to stop as the addict has lost that ability.

Addiction is a serious illness that needs professional help beyond what you can do. The addict will make many attempts to stop on their own, but the reward system in the brain has been hijacked and the cravings are intense. The person will do anything to protect their addiction, including lying and manipulating anyone who tries to make them stop because the substance comes first. This is difficult to understand by the outsider.

They are at the complete mercy of their addiction so it is important to remember that they have lost control of any rationality.

How to Get a Person Into Rehab

The problem with addiction is that the addict is often stuck in a state of ambivalence otherwise known as contemplation or pre-contemplation. This means that they know there is a problem but the denial to do something about it is strong. They have still not fully surrendered to the fact that they cannot do this on their own or that the problem is that big. They may still believe that they have some control over it.

Now let us get down to the question, how to get a loved one into rehab?

We must remember that the addict must take responsibility for their recovery. We can attempt to get a loved one into rehab but ultimately it must be their decision to go. You need to stage an intervention at the right time and intervention must be done properly. An intervention should be done by a trained professional and there are many services you can call upon for help.

How to do an Intervention for a Loved One

A professional can help, guide, and support you through the whole process of getting your loved one into rehab.

The intervention must be well planned because the addict is still reluctant or ambivalent about going to rehab and you do not want to just jump straight in without a plan.

Some rehabs will send an interventionist out to you who is trained in this specifically. There are also services you can find online that specialise in this process. Independent intervention services can pretty much travel anywhere in the world to come and help you. There are services you can find online and you want to upon contacting any service ask them a few key questions.

You want to know if they are affiliated with just one rehab or not. Rehabs around the world have different programmes and you want your loved one to go to the rehab that best suits them.

An independent interventionist will work ethically and help you to choose the right rehab.

I suggest that you express any worries or concerns you have about any service you contact by asking lots of questions. The intervention must meet the unique needs of your loved one, so lots of talking and working things out and finding the right service is crucial. If you rush into this then you could waste your time.

Spend some time on the internet looking for intervention services, there are many out there and do it right from the beginning.