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Most people are understandably uncertain about how they can help someone they care for that’s suffering from addiction. Watching someone close to you go through drug addiction or alcohol addiction is extremely difficult and the idea of encouraging them to get help might seem insurmountable.
These feelings are incredibly normal and help is available, both for you and the person suffering from drug addiction or alcoholism. In this article, we’ll explore the signs and symptoms of addiction, how to convince someone to go to rehab, and what we at Rehab Clinics Group can do to help.
Noticing the main signs and symptoms of Addiction
Convincing someone to attend rehab comes after identifying addiction in someone we care about. It might be obvious that they’re suffering, they may have admitted it, or you might have caught them in the act, but if they’re in denial or trying to hide it, it may be a sign that things aren’t quite right.
The signs and symptoms of addiction vary from person to person, as well as on the type of addiction, but there are some general signs that can help to give an indication:
- Difficulty sleeping and tiredness
- Mood swings
- Defensiveness and paranoia
- Poor performance at work or school
- Withdrawal from normal activities
- Exacerbation of underlying mental health conditions
It’s important to note that this isn’t a comprehensive list and that you shouldn’t wait for signs and symptoms to prevent themselves, seeking treatment as soon as possible gives the best chance of long term success.
Trying to convince someone to go to Rehab
Trying to convince someone to go to rehabilitation can be daunting. The last thing you want to do is to break the trust that exists between you, so it’s crucial to approach this with understanding and not to force the issue.
You should show empathy and your support.
This is likely to be one of the most difficult periods of their life, so knowing that they have someone there for them is hugely important.
Plan how you’ll approach the subject.
You shouldn’t just blurt it completely out of the blue, nor should it be in an environment where they don’t feel safe and secure. You want the setting to be as calm and relaxed as possible and to approach the subject in a structured way.
Be informed
Researching their addiction, as well as possible addiction treatments and local support groups in advance helps to show that you understand what they’re going through, as well as providing some identifiable ways that they can recover.
The needs of each individual are different, so this conversation is a good time to discuss what would work best for them. For example, would outpatient treatment where they attend appointments with professionals over the course of months to years be preferable to inpatient treatment where they would live at a rehabilitation facility for a fixed period and receive 24/7 care?
Having the initial conversation about addiction is crucial, but even if they admit that they have a problem and need to seek help, it’s important not to leave things here. It’s all too easy to delay treatment or for the matter to be put to one side after it’s finally brought into the open.
Follow up
Persevering so a treatment plan is chosen and a date is set for admission is the only way to ensure that help is actually received. It may also be wise to challenge excuses that see the admission date pushed back.
Ultimately, not everyone will feel ready to go to rehab, regardless of how serious their problem with addiction may be, and if this is the case, consider consulting a professional interventionist.
Addictions and Mental Health Issues
Mental health issues can accompany addiction. When someone is suffering from both, this is called a dual diagnosis. It’s important that both issues are treated separately, as, although they can influence each other, they are not the same.
It can be particularly hard to persuade someone with a dual diagnosis to seek help because suffering from both issues together can be overwhelming, but it’s essential that they do. At Rehab Clinics Group, we have a number of rehab centres that can provide treatment for dual diagnosis.
Addiction treatments are developed for each individual, but they will generally include:
- Medical detoxification
- Addiction rehabilitation
- Psychological therapy
- Wellbeing therapy
- Holistic therapy
- A year of free aftercare support
Contact Rehab Clinics Group
At Rehab Clinics Group, we understand how difficult the process of convincing someone to attend rehab can be, that’s why we’ve made out admissions process as straightforward as possible.
Our experienced team will run you through everything you need to know, outline our treatments and therapies answer your questions, and lend a helping hand in organising each step of the treatment.
Few things are harder than watching a family member suffer from addiction. With our family referral service, we’ll get in touch with your loved ones to talk about how they’re coping and whether they are open to talking about recovery in one of our centres.
From this point on, we’ll guide them onto the road to recovery and ensure they, and you, feel supported in their journey to a sober future.
If you have a friend that’s currently going through addiction, we have decades of experience in supporting friendship groups to help those they care for. People often feel alone when they’re trying to help a friend recover from addiction, but don’t suffer in silence, find out how we can help with our friend referrals.
We’re here to help, so if you know someone that’s suffering from addiction, get in touch with our friendly team and find out what we can do.
