If you have someone in your family who is struggling with addiction or a close friend or coworker is showing signs of addiction, you might want to figure out how to help. And helping might start with learning how to convince someone to go to drug rehab when they need it most.
How to Convince Someone to Go to Drug Rehab
There are several ways that you can supportively figure out how to convince someone to go to drug rehab, all of which are based on factors like your relationship with that person and how you can effectively communicate.
Show Empathy
It is essential to start with empathy. You never want to criticize or be angry, as this can push someone away from drug rehab rather than toward it.
Any conversation you have should be one where you emphasize your understanding and your feelings for them by asking questions, listening, and understanding what it is that might be holding them back from getting the help that they need.
Depending on where they are in their recovery, they might not think that they need help; they might think that they’ve already tried rehab once and it wasn’t successful, so why bother? They might think that it’s unaffordable.
Talking to them and expressing how you feel can help open up a conversation. This conversation can make it easier to figure out what it is that might help them take the next steps toward going to drug rehab.
Set Boundaries
Now, if that person is someone very close to you, like an intimate partner or family member, you might need to learn how to set boundaries in a much more effective fashion than you would for someone who’s a coworker.
For example:
Tina is in a relationship with someone who struggles with drug addiction. She finds that she is regularly there to cover things like shared bills, food, and even basic veterinary care for their dog when her partner has spent all of his money on drugs.
In this case, it would be up to Tina to set firm boundaries where she lays out ground rules with her partner, letting them know that she won’t support their habit, even if that means she will no longer be solely responsible for shared finances.
Now let’s consider another example:
Jonathan has a 22-year-old son who lives at home. His son continues to take the keys to Jonathan’s car, especially at night, so that he can go get more drugs or get high. Jonathan has to set strong boundaries to support his son’s overall health by taking away keys and hiding them so that Jonathan’s son can’t find them.
He also has to set boundaries that prevent or at least limit opportunities to sneak away and get drunk or high, with other restrictions and privileges that might help his son start to think about quitting.
Have an Intervention
You can also try to stage an intervention. Many family members and friends who are unsure of how to go about getting the help they need for a loved one turn to professional interventionists.
Working with a professional interventionist can give you an opportunity to write out what it is you want to say, express your emotions by using “I” statements, and facilitate an open conversation in a place that is safe and secure.
By working with an interventionist, you also have the opportunity to choose who will be present in the process, with opportunities to practice what you plan to say.
Call Sequoia Recovery Centers
When you are learning how to convince someone to go to drug rehab, you need a drug and alcohol detox center at the ready if they agree.
At Sequoia Recovery Centers, we specialize in offering all levels of care, which means we can provide addiction treatment that is effective no matter the circumstances or severity of your loved ones.
Addiction is a chronic condition, and we teach our clients how to successfully manage that condition for lifelong recovery.
Addiction can range from mild to severe, and choosing the right program is essential because no two individuals are the same. That’s why we provide several levels of treatment with things ranging from detox and inpatient to traditional outpatient. If you don’t know what is best for your loved one, our team of qualified professionals is happy to help. During an initial assessment, we will review medical criteria and ask your loved one certain questions to determine the right type of care.
Reach out to our team today at help@sequoiadetoxcenters.com or call 1-866-824-0709 to learn more about our different levels of care.