Addiction impacts millions of people’s lives every day, so you likely have a friend or family member who needs drug or alcohol addiction treatment. To see someone you love succumb to a substance abuse disorder is painfully heartbreaking. Try to remember that, even though it might not seem like it, the person you love who is struggling with addiction is indeed suffering and likely wants it to end but does not to how to do it. Convincing your loved one to go to a drug detox center can be challenging, but it is worth the effort.
Let the professionals at Harmony Hills help you or a loved one get started on the road to recovery and lifelong sobriety with a drug detox center by calling 855.494.0357.
Take the Time to Become Informed About Addiction
For those who do not suffer from alcohol or drug addiction, it can be challenging to understand why someone cannot just stop using when it is clear that their addiction is wreaking havoc not only in their life but in the lives of those who love them. Before confronting your friend or family member about drug detox, make sure that you have educated yourself about addiction and the treatment options available.
With today’s technology, you can find information online about almost every aspect of substance use disorders, but be sure you are getting your information from a reputable source like Harmony Hills. Attending 12-step groups for family and friends affected by addiction can be valuable for information and support. It is easy to get lost in a co-dependent relationship with someone suffering from addiction because of your desire to see them get better.
To best help them and yourself, consider learning more about the facts of:
- The risk factors that contribute to addiction
- How addiction impairs brain function
- How mental health impacts addiction
- Treatment options for addiction
- What your loved one can expect from drug detox
- How addiction impacts friends and family
- How intervention works
Armed with the correct information, you will be better prepared to handle the many objections you are likely to face when you confront your loved one about their need to enter a drug detox program.
Make a Plan for Intervention
Substance abuse and co-occurring mental health disorders are very complex. Convincing a loved one that they need help from a drug detox program is an impossible task when you try to do it alone. The person you are trying to help may be in denial about their addiction, worried about withdrawal symptoms, or convinced that they cannot cope with life without their drug of choice.
To effectively convince a loved one into drug detox, you should first seek help from professionals like the team at Harmony Hills, who can help guide and support you through the process. Having a support network for yourself is vital to your well-being, and if you are not well, you cannot help your loved one. Further, holding an intervention without a plan in place for immediate admission to a drug detox center would be futile. With your intervention plan in place, keep these tips in mind:
- Be empathetic, not critical
- Express how their addiction affects you by using “I” statements
- Avoid using guilt, shame, or pleading
- Establish boundaries about what you will or will not do if they refuse treatment
- Acknowledge and address their fears about drug detox
- Have information about the benefits of treatment
- Have a plan for your self-care
Unfortunately, there is no guarantee that your loved one will agree to participate in a drug detox program. If that is the case, be firm in your conviction not to enable their habit in any way, but let them know that you will always support their choice to accept treatment at any time.
Contact Harmony Hills for Information About Drug Detox Intervention
At Harmony Hills, we know that it often takes several attempts to convince a loved one to commit to drug detox and that it is an emotionally taxing endeavor each time. If you need support to convince a friend or family member to seek treatment, our team of compassionate, highly experienced professionals can help. Call us at 855.494.0357.