Addiction is something that affects millions of people around the world every single day. Addiction is not only something that affects the addict, but the family and friends close to them. When there comes a time when finding help for a loved one seems necessary, the addicted individual isn’t always willing to seek help. There are many reasons why an addict might not want to seek help, such as shame, denial, fear, and more. Despite the reasoning, this unwillingness can cause family and friends to feel helpless and even feel like they’re enabling and addict by not forcing them to seek help.
When you have a friend or loved one who needs help, but is not interested in accepting it, there are some things you can do in order to help your loved one take the next steps on the journey to recovery.
The first step to getting your loved one on the path to recovery is to recognize and accept that they have a problem in the first place. For many people, it is hard to recognize that their loved one has an addiction, because we tend to make excuses for the ones that we love. However, addiction is something that can be incredibly dangerous and even life-threatening. So, it is important to recognize the problem before it is too late.
Once you have accepted that your loved one is struggling with addiction, it is important to educate yourself. How did your loved one get to this point? Perhaps you recognize a bad breakup that started this downward spiral, or maybe they never truly talked with you about what they experienced in their time serving our country overseas. Addiction can take root in people for many reasons and sometimes understanding what those reasons might be can help you relate to their struggles later one. This can be especially helpful when/if an intervention is necessary.
Now that you have taken the time to accept your loved ones addiction and to educate yourself, it’s time to do your research in order to find the right treatment facility. There are many different treatment facilities all across the country and not every facility is going to be a good fit for your loved one. Some facilities focus more on medical intervention to treat addiction, some focus on a more holistic approach to treatment, and there are some who offer a mix. It is important to take time to do your research in order to find out which facility you feel would best meet your loved ones needs. This also means finding a facility that is going to meet your budgetary needs as well, as not all facilities accept insurance.
At this point, you are fully educated and prepared with a plan of action for your loved one. Now it is time for one of the hardest steps of all, which is to sit down and have a discussion with your loved one about accepting help. An important thing to remember is to wait to have this conversation when your loved one is sober. Drugs and alcohol can change a person’s response and the way they process information. So, if a person is under the influence they are most likely going to have a harder time comprehending the conversation at hand. You should also never have this conversation after a heated moment or in the middle of an argument. This is a conversation that needs to be had in a calm and accepting manner.
At the end of your conversation, if your loved one is accepting of the help that you offer, it is important to act quickly. An individual can start to think through the choice their making and want to flip their decision, so getting them to treatment as soon as possible could be critical in getting them the help they need.
Many times, the first conversation about seeking help is not going to go as planned and your loved one is going to deny needing help. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, only 11% of people with substance abuse addictions actually get the help they need. If an intervention is necessary, this may be a good idea to explore. Interventions can sound intimidating, but when led properly (and there are professionals who can assist with this) they can often deliver the perfect formula to give your loved one the chance to accept help.
Ultimately, addiction is not something that you or your loved one has to go through alone. Educating yourself and seeking out help can be a stressful and overwhelming time, but we want to help in any way that we can. At Windmill Wellness Ranch, we are more than happy to help make this process as simple and confidential as possible. We even offer intervention assistance when possible.
If your loved one is in need of help, let us assist you in getting them on the path to recovery today. Call our admissions staff now to get started.
Created specifically for those who have loved ones that struggle with addiction.