It will be difficult for someone to be able to escape from the problem of drug addiction if the person concerned is reluctant to undergo therapy in a rehabilitation facility. Especially when someone refuses to admit that they have a problem, of course, it will make the people who care about him feel frustrated too. Friends and family often feel ashamed and feel there is nothing they can do about it; this is the time that you need a family intervention. Addiction is a complex and chronic disease, but it can be reversed through certain treatments.
Below are some steps can take to encourage an addict to start rehab. In most cases, these steps will NOT be enough to decide the addict. To really save an addict and decide them to go to rehab, families have to be helped by a professional interventionist who will organize a formal family intervention. But the following steps can be done as an act of love.
Find out about addiction
The first thing you need to do when your family member is a drug addict is to find out what addiction is. Addiction is classified as a mental illness. Addiction is a chronic, treatable medical illness that involves complex interactions between brain circuits, genetics, environment, and individual life experiences. People with addictions, use substances or have compulsive behaviors to consume them despite knowing there are harmful consequences. However, they may not understand or deny that they have a problem with addiction. The more you understand about addiction, the better you will be able to manage the situation. There is a wealth of information about addiction that you can consult to learn more. You can also get a family intervention to get education related to addiction problems.
Can’t talk to them once enough
Addiction is a very strong disease affecting various parts of the brain of the addict. Because it is controlled by the substances contained in drugs, it can affect their brains in choosing rational and healthy decisions. There are many self-defense mechanisms that originate from the addict’s mind, which makes it difficult for you to get him to undergo rehabilitation. The distorted thoughts they experience can make communicating with them very difficult. Try to sit down and share your concerns with them about their addiction, but don’t get discouraged when they refuse, it takes extra patience and repeated attempts to talk to them.
Creating healthy boundaries with them
It is important to create healthy boundaries in your relationship with the abuser, this is done of course to reduce the risk of conflict with them which will actually make them more defensive towards you. By setting strong boundaries, you will have control and stability in difficult situations when they refuse to go to rehab. In these situations, it is very important to enforce healthy boundaries to protect yourself and them.
Setting Consequences
Once you’ve established healthy boundaries, you should also follow up by establishing consequences if they don’t respect your boundaries. Some drug abusers see consequences as mere empty threats. So, it is important to have the courage to be firm about the consequences that you will give. For example, take internet access rights, stop providing financial assistance, kick him out, or move. Only you as their closest person can determine which consequences will be effective in the situation.
Offer your support
Even if they initially refuse to go to rehab, let them know that you will support them if they are ready for rehab. Always show support consistently and maintain healthy boundaries for them.
Don’t blame yourself
There is no need to feel guilty when they refuse to be rehabilitated. Conflicts with them may occur, because addiction problems affect their cognitive processes, they can also blame the people around them for their substance abuse problems. It’s important to stay positive and not hold grudges as doing so can hinder your desire and ability to help them.
These steps do not describe the exact process of a family intervention. But these are valuable actions to do and positions to take with the addict… before you actually have to perform a family intervention with the help of a professional interventionist.
