Family and friends of someone experiencing a Substance Use Disorder (SUD) play an essential part in their loved one’s successful journey to recovery. And they can do this before, during, and after their loved one’s stay in residential treatment. Read on to learn more about the key roles they can play and tips for supporting someone.
The Importance of Family Support During Drug Rehabilitation
It’s both meaningful and challenging to support a loved one entering drug rehab. You can play a vital role in their recovery, but patience, empathy, and clear boundaries are required.
How to Approach a Loved One About Entering Rehab
Before you consider having a discussion with your loved one about entering rehab, consider the following:
Stay Informed and Involved
Learn all you can about addiction and the process of entering rehab. By understanding what your loved one is experiencing, you can better support them. Focus on open, nonjudgmental communication. Choose a quiet time to talk in private. Avoid blaming or shaming—share your concerns with kindness.
Use “I” statements such as “I care about you and my wish is to see you healthy”. Suggest helping them research treatment options. Provide reassurance that they have your support.
If your loved one resists this conversation, stay calm and revisit it later. With the right help, recovery is possible. Your encouragement can make a difference.
Share with your loved one that you are there to listen without judgment. Build trust and reduce their feelings of isolation by creating a space for them to express their feelings and fears.
Resist the tendency to lecture or pressure them. Use supportive language such as, “I’m here to listen to whatever you need”, or, “I’m proud of you for taking these steps”.
Avoid Enabling and Maintain Optimism
As challenging as it may be, do not protect your loved one from the consequences of their actions. This is enabling behavior that may encourage their continued drug use. Stay optimistic. Remind them that recovery is possible and millions have successfully overcome addiction.
Recognizing the Right Time to Intervene
Be aware of signs of severe addiction, such as a decline in health, financial problems, legal issues, or relationships that are strained. Each of these may bring a crisis point that requires action. And if the substance use is not controllable or even dangerous, then you need to act. But be prepared for resistance from your loved one as they try to come to terms with their addiction.
Approaching the Conversation with Compassion
Choose a time when your loved one is sober and calm. Express concern, not judgment. Use “I” statements such as, “I’m worried about you”. Listen carefully. Don’t argue. Validate their feelings while you reinforce the need for help. Avoid using ultimatums unless absolutely needed for safety.
Steps for How to Get Someone Into Rehab
There are a number of important steps you may take:
- Do your research on treatment options for types of care.
- Involve professionals such as doctors, therapists or interventionists.
- Be supportive with help such as logistics, insurance or visits.
- Set your boundaries if they don’t accept your help by limiting enabling behaviors.
- Hire an interventionist if your loved one is resistant.
Ways to Support a Loved One Throughout Their Rehab Journey
It’s important to have the inner emotional resources and communication skills to effectively support your loved one once they are in a rehab.
Providing Emotional Encouragement
Maintain consistent, appropriate contact. Keep in touch through texts, calls or emails. Little messages of encouragement, such as “I’m thinking of you and proud of the steps you are taking” can be motivating without being overwhelming. Respect your loved one’s need for space. Let them ask for contact when they are ready. If permitted by the rehab center, plan visits.
Attending Family Therapy Sessions
Whenever possible, take part in family therapy or counseling sessions offered by the rehab facility. This is a very effective way to repair relationships, establish healthy boundaries, and provide ways you can learn to best support their recovery.
Setting Healthy Boundaries
To support does not mean to enable. Focus on being clear about what you can and cannot do. This is especially true regarding finances or their behaviors that might undermine recovery. As an example, if they ask you for money that you feel may be used to support substance use, consider saying, “I love you and want to help you, but I can’t give you money right now if it might be used in a way that will hurt you”.
Helping After Discharge: Long-Term Support Strategies
Leaving rehab presents a new set of challenges for your loved one and they will need all the continued support you can provide, while respecting your boundaries.
Encouraging Sober Living and Accountability
Again, supporting sober living involves providing consistent support while maintaining your boundaries. It’s all about small victories and celebrating them. Provide encouragement for maintaining healthy routines. Propose sober activities they may enjoy.
Accountability is key. Check in regularly. Go to support meetings together. Reinforce positive choices. Above all, avoid enabling behaviors. Instead, encourage responsibility and personal growth. Their commitment to recovery can be reinforced by your encouragement.
Participating in Support Groups
Support their ongoing recovery by encouraging them to participate in groups such as AA, NA, or SMART Recovery. Encourage them to participate in the rehab center’s aftercare programs and alumni support groups after rehab. Ongoing support is critical as recovery is a long-term process. Propose to attend support group meetings or therapy sessions with them if they wish.
Maintaining Patience and Realistic Expectations
Recovery is non-linear and has its ups and downs. Be patient and compassionate with setbacks. Relapse is often part of the recovery process. If it occurs, respond with compassion rather than blame. Encourage your loved one to get back on track and resume their recovery. Ask them to seek help if needed.
It’s important to take care of yourself. Supporting someone in rehab and recovery can be emotionally draining. Make sure you create your own support network of family, friends, or those families of attendees in support groups. Practice self-care and learn to know your own limits. Step back when you need to. That’s perfectly okay.
Why Choose Northbound Treatment Services in Southern California
At Northbound, we have over 30 years experience working with patients in our rehab and other facilities.
Family-Focused Programs and Services
At Northbound, we view addiction as a family illness. This means that the struggle of one family member has an impact on the health of the entire family system. We support healing for the whole family unit.
Family therapy is an important step in a loved one’s recovery journey, whether it takes place in the early or later stages of rehab. It is crucial for those who struggle with addiction to seek help, but it is just as imperative that the families have the best care available as well.
Dual Diagnosis
Dual diagnosis is when a person experiences substance abuse and a mental health condition, such as depression or anxiety, at the same time, a very common occurrence. At Northbound, we have trained staff equipped to work with patients with dual diagnoses.
Long-Term Care
We believe very strongly in the need for adequate discharge planning and our Aftercare program to ease the transition back into the real world after treatment. We like to follow our graduates for at least a year to ensure they have the necessary supports as they integrate back into daily life and the community.
Compassionate Residential Care at Northbound
For more than 30 years, Northbound Treatment Services in California has been at the forefront of providing lifesaving, compassionate residential care, and specialized services to help people from all walks of life feel better, discover themselves, and live free from addiction. We have facilities throughout California. Reach out to our admissions team now.
Author
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Paul Alexander is the CEO, President & Founder of Northbound Treatment Network in Newport Beach, California. He believes wholeheartedly in transformational leadership, organizational health and effective, fully integrated substance use disorder and mental health treatment. With over 27 years of experience in behavioral healthcare, Paul has extensive knowledge of “in vivo” treatment modalities, clinical development, operations, strategy, marketing and financial planning. He has been widely recognized for his development of collegiate-based residential treatment programs for students in recovery and authored a research study at The University of California confirming this modality’s effectiveness.
Paul’s comprehensive professional experience, willingness to innovate, and emphasis on organizational health are vital factors in Northbound’s continued success. Paul received his Certified Addiction Treatment Specialist training at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo, CA, and was awarded Outstanding Alumni Service Award in 2002. Paul holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminology, Law and Society, Summa Cum Laude, from University of California, Irvine, and a Juris Doctorate degree from Loyola Law School of Los Angeles. Paul currently serves on The National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers (NAATP) board. In addition, he serves on The Family Recovery Foundation board and The CarePossible board in Orange County; both organizations are committed to raising funds for family recovery and treatment for former military personnel. Paul is in recovery himself and lives in Orange County with his wife Silvana and his two young sons, Noah and Dean.
