What Does Alcoholism Rehab Entail
If you suspect that you or someone you care about has an AUD, it may be time to seek professional help. Research has shown that rehabilitation treatment can be very effective in helping individuals maintain a life of sobriety.14
According to NIAAA, about a third of people who successfully complete a rehabilitation program show no further symptoms 1 year later and have fewer alcohol-related problems.14
Depending on the severity of the AUD, individuals can enter into a number of alcohol rehabilitation programs including inpatient and outpatient settings.
Treatment typically involves a mix of private and group counseling sessions, behavioral therapies, medications, and support groups.
What To Expect When Your Family Member Enters Treatment
Part of learning how to help an alcoholic loved one is knowing what treatments are available. Another part you may not have considered is what you can expect once they begin treatment. You may end up experiencing the gamut of emotions, all of which are normal, such as:
- Relief: You may be glad your loved one is finally getting treatment and comforted to know that your loved one is physically in a safe space.
- Anxiety: You may worry about the well-being of your loved one and whether theyre getting the help they need.
- Anger: You may feel resentment that your loved one seemingly burdened you with their disease.
- Sadness: Feeling bad for your loved one and their struggles is a sign of empathy and compassion. Sadness doesnt necessarily mean pity, either.
- Shame: You may feel either shame stemming from the guilt that you couldnt save your loved one or embarrassment at having to explain that your loved one is in Recovery.
When your loved one enters treatment, its the perfect time for you to focus more on yourself and your healing. Reach out to support groups of people who are in the same situation as you. If you find yourself blaming your loved one for their addiction and its impact on your life, speak to a therapist to work through those feelings healthily.
Eventually, you will be asked to become involved in your loved ones Recovery. Family involvement in rehabilitation has proven to be incredibly beneficial for both the patient as well as the family.
How To Help A Loved One Struggling With Addiction
The best ways to help a person who is addicted to drugs or alcohol may seem counterintuitive, especially for people who struggle with codependent relationships. Some of these methods may seem harsh, but they come from a loving approach with the ultimate goal to help the person overcome their addiction and to help all parties heal. Basic steps are outlined below.
- Remember that addiction is not a choice or a moral failing it is a disease of the brain
- Addiction is ultimately a condition that the individual must learn to manage no one can take the fight on for the addict.
- Set boundaries and stand by them.
- Encourage the individual to seek help this may include finding treatment resources for them.
- Find a therapist who specializes in addiction counseling and get help. Loved ones of addicts need support too.
- Set an example for healthy living by giving up recreational drug and alcohol use.
- Be supportive, but do not cover for problems created by substance abuse. The person struggling needs to deal with the consequences of their addiction.
- Be optimistic. A person struggling with drug or alcohol abuse will likely eventually seek help due to ongoing encouragement to do so. If they relapse, it is not a sign of failure relapse is often part of the overall recovery process.
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How You Can Help Someone Who Is In Recovery
Family involvement is just one of the ways in which you can help your loved one when theyre in treatment. It allows counselors and doctors to get a better understanding of the patient as well as their behavioral patterns and habits. Other ways in which you can help your loved one include:
- Getting involved: Attend family therapy and express your feelings. This will allow them to get a better idea of how their addiction affects everyone around them. Its also a great way to show that you support your loved ones Recovery because you are willing to invest the time and effort to help them heal.
- Communicating with them: Once the blackout period is lifted, you will likely be allowed some contact with your loved ones. Communication can be very difficult, and a seemingly safe conversation can spiral into a heated argument. Find a mode of communication that works for both of you, be it phone calls, emails or in-person visits. Use it as an opportunity to verbalize your support.
- Offering support: Saying youre there for your loved one is one thing, but support goes beyond that. Talk positively about the future and of your loved ones progress. Let them know theyre not alone.
- Trusting but being mindful: Its important to maintain trust throughout the Recovery process, but its also important to remember not to fall into old habits. Show your loved one that you trust them, but be aware of old behaviors that may be problematic or harmful.
Dont: Give In To Manipulation
When a person with an addiction is unwilling to seek treatment, they will resort to whatever they need to do to continue feeding their addiction. This may include lying or trying to guilt the people who care for them. Its important to establish boundaries and learn how to say no. It may be very difficult to not react negatively or to stick to your established rules, but its necessary for everyone involved.
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What Is Samhsas National Helpline
SAMHSAs National Helpline, , or TTY: is a confidential, free, 24-hour-a-day, 365-day-a-year, information service, in English and Spanish, for individuals and family members facing mental and/or substance use disorders. This service provides referrals to local treatment facilities, support groups, and community-based organizations. Callers can also order free publications and other information.
Also visit the online treatment locators.
Communicate The Right Way
To stop enabling your loved one and help them to help themselves, you need to learn how to communicate with them effectively. Before you start seeking out drug & alcohol treatment centers or other alcohol treatment options, its important to do some learning about the best way to engage with an addict.
Here are some key factors to consider that will help you to improve your communication:
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I Love Seeing You In Such Good Spirits
When you see your loved one happy and feeling positive, acknowledge it and tell them this. It makes them realize how far theyve come and that their hard work is paying off. Now, they are learning that true happiness doesnt come from an external substance but, rather, from the inside.
Are you or someone you love ready to get help? Browse our directory of rehab centers or call to inquire about addiction specialists in your area.
Helping Them Consider Drug Addiction Rehab Treatment
To get someone to at least consider drug addiction rehab treatment you need to avoid being too aggressive or commanding about the situation. Sometimes the best way to start the conversation is to ask questions and get them discuss what is going on in their life. The more questions you ask, the more you are getting them to really think about the negative things that are happening in their life and whether their drug abuse is root of most of their problems. The truth is that addicts may think more positively about treatment if they feel that they have really made the decision for themselves. It is truly the best scenario because instead of them entering treatment as a way to fulfill an obligation to the people around them, they are choosing sobriety for themselves. Asking a lot of open ended questions can help effectively lead an addict to consider treatment rather than ordering them to get help because you believe it is the right thing for get them in to drug addiction rehab treatment.
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Find An Approach That Works
There are a number of different treatment options that can be effective, so it is important to consider the options. Think about which approach might be best suited to you and your loved one’s needs and goals.
Depending on the nature of the addiction, treatment might involve psychotherapy, medication, support groups, or a combination of all of these. A few options include:
Other important factors that can affect a person’s recovery include family involvement and other social supports. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration suggests that family therapy is an important part of an effective recovery plan.
Inspirational Quotes To Help You Overcome Addiction
The editorial staff of Rehabs.com is comprised of addiction content experts from American Addiction Centers. Our editors and medical reviewers have over a decade of cumulative experience in medical content editing and have reviewed thousands of pages for accuracy and relevance. Our reviewers consistently monitor the latest research from SAMHSA, NIDA, and other reputable sources to provide our readers the most accurate content on the web.
Sometimes, the right words can supply us with the inspiration and strength we desperately need. And lets be honest, inspiration and strength are two vital ingredients for anyone whos considering sobriety.
On a personal level, I know inspirational quotes and phrases have given me strength in the past especially when I was at my lowest. Those same quotes and phrases have also helped me make the right decisions when I was contemplating major changes in my life.
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How To Talk To Someone With An Addiction
Start by trying to talk to the person about their addiction. Having a one-on-one conversation may be less intimidating than staging an intervention with several people.
Find a time when you can be alone together and free of distractions or interruptions. Tell them that youre concerned about their behavior and ask if theyre open to hearing your thoughts. Try to use non-blaming language and avoid raising your voice or getting angry. They will likely respond better if you communicate from a place of compassionate concern. It may also help to talk about specific behaviors or incidents related to their addiction that have directly affected you.
If theyre receptive to hearing your thoughts and concerns, ask if they would be willing to seek professional help. They may not be open to discussing this option. They may become defensive. If this happens, let it go for the time being. Dont threaten or shame them. Instead, start talking with other family members and concerned parties to begin planning an intervention.
Support Recovery As An Ongoing Process
Once your loved one decides to enter treatment, its essential that you remain involved. Continue supporting their participation in ongoing care, meetings and participate in support groups for families of addicts. Be the support system that they need, and show them that youll be there every step of the way.
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Supporting A Loved Ones Addiction Recovery
Theres no one-size-fits-all solution to overcoming an addiction to drugs, and its rarely a process thats quick or straightforward. While you can support your loved one and encourage treatment, you cant force them to change or control their decision-making. Letting your loved one assume responsibility for their behavior and choices is an important step on their road to sobriety.
Adjust your expectations. Everyone is different. Recovery for one person may mean total abstinence from drugs. For another, it could mean cutting back or staying mostly drug-free. Being too rigid in your expectations can lead to disappointment and a sense of failure, even if your loved one finds stability in their life again.
Encourage your loved one to seek help. While some people are able to quit drugs on their own, the more help and support a person has, the better their chances of success. Offer to sit with your loved one while they call a helpline or accompany them to a doctors appointment, counseling session, or peer support group meeting.
Help plan for triggers and cravings. Your loved one will need to find ways to cope with drug cravings and triggers. You can help distract them with other activities or encourage them to learn how to ride out the urge, but ultimately, they have to be responsible for their own sobriety.
Treatment options
Enlisting Help For Drug Treatment Options
It might feel overwhelming and too complex to be responsible for helping an addict to get drug treatment options. If you feel that you cant handle the task on your own, you should find help among a group of concerned friends and family members who also want them to start rehab. You may feel embarrassed or scared to bring up the subject to other people but you might find once you open up the topic that they are experiencing a lot of the same feelings that you are. Sharing your concerns about the conversation with a group of other people will help you collectively come up with a strategy that everyone thinks will work best for convincing them to get treatment. You can also reach out to a counselor and discuss your plans with them to get some professional advice about how to deal with an addicted person or even talk to someone you know who has been through treatment themselves and might have some personal insight into the situation.
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Get Help For Yourself First
Being in a relationship with a person who has an addiction is often stressful. It’s important that you accept that what you are going through is difficult and seek support. You also need to develop stress management strategies, which is an important step in helping your loved one as well as yourself.
You might want to consider participating in support groups, such as Al-Anon or Naranon. Children and teens can get support from Alateen.
Keep Their Addiction In Perspective
Keeping things in perspective in the grand scheme of things will help you from feeling enveloped in their addiction. While their drug abuse may feel like the worst thing that could ever happen, you need to remind yourself that things will get better. Seeing this from you, the addict you love may be able to find hope that things will get better for them, too.
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Make An Intervention Plan
Making a plan for approaching a loved one about an addiction problem can help family or friends to be prepared for anything that may happen during the conversation. Gathering a group of people who can help, and even potentially hiring an intervention specialist to help in developing the plan, can ease the burden of the conversation. It can also provide a united front in convincing the person that family and friends have the loved ones best interests at heart.
The Association of Intervention Specialists can help in finding a professional trained to plan the event. The treatment center may also have resources that will support the process. In any case, establishing the plan in advance can ensure that family and friends have prepared responses for multiple objections that the individual might raise, making it more likely that the loved one can be convinced of the need for treatment.
Learn About Addiction And Treatment
To put it bluntly, it can be difficult to confront a loved one about addiction if the family member or friend initiating the conversation doesnt know much about addiction and treatment options. Because of this, the first thing to do is learn about addiction and what causes it, what it does to the individuals brain and behavior, and why treatment is necessary.
There are a number of elements to take into consideration when researching a loved ones addiction and treatment options. These include:
State or municipal health and human services departments can be a good source of local information. Healthfinder.gov can help in locating the relevant department or service for each state or county. Working through a reputable, research-based treatment facility can also help point family and friends in the right direction.
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Remember That Theyre Human Not A Monster
Addiction is a disease. It results in a distorted value system that shifts toward supporting ongoing substance use. It is OK to get frustrated or angry with your loved one and, for your own well-being, you may need to limit your contact if your loved one is actively using. But be wary of treating the person like an outcast or a disgrace to the family. This can shame your loved one and interfere with them reaching out for support. Once they enter recovery, though, communicate with them and try to understand how substance misuse became a routine part of their life.
Do: Take Care Of Yourself
Indulging in self-care is not selfish, especially when youre helping someone dealing with addiction. You cannot let the addiction of your loved one derail your own life. Continue with healthy activities, like hobbies and social outings, and take care to look after yourself. Therapy or counseling is part of that process, but indulging in activities that arent centered around your loved one is necessary. Determine what it is that you need to keep yourself well and indulge in it.
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Putting The Power Of Words To Work For You
As humans, when things get tough, we have a tendency to fall back into our old patterns. In order to overcome an addiction something that takes a lot of hard work and personal dedication we desperately need support and encouragement. When we read powerful and inspiring quotes, they make sense to us. The words resonate with us internally and have a positive impact they give us the push we need on our way to becoming our best selves.
If youre sick and tired of being sick and tired and contemplating sobriety, take a look at the five quotes below. They might just inspire you to take the first step towards the rest of your life.
