Your loved one’s drug abuse is out of control. You’ve tried to help, but there’s no interest. Maybe you’re not the only family member or friend who’s been working with the person. Here’s how to help a drug addict who doesn’t want help.
Understand Addiction
It sounds deceptively simple. If your loved one would just quit, life would be better for everyone. However, addiction is a disease of the brain. It’s not something that she can turn on and off at will.
There’s a good chance that this individual would love to quit using today. Symptoms of withdrawal are likely what keeps the person coming back to using. Then there are the underlying reasons that might have contributed to drug abuse. Even if you learned how to help a drug addict who doesn’t want help today, these issues are still there.
Until someone deals with them, they’ll result in repeated relapses. These thoughts may have been going through your loved one’s mind. They come out as not wanting anything to do with quitting. However, there are ways around that.
How to Help a Drug Addict Who Doesn’t Want Help – Yet
An intervention with those closest to the individual is a good way of getting your point across. The goal is to have your loved one commit to enrolling in a rehab program. Interventions don’t work when everyone’s airing their grievances. This meeting shouldn’t be about finger pointing.
Instead, it should focus on helping the individual recognize that there’s a group of people that care. Express that you want to form a support network. Outline how you would commit to helping the person after he completes a rehab program. It’s a good idea to enlist the assistance of an intervention specialist.
Educate Yourself about Rehab First
Before trying to help your loved one, know what rehab’s like. For example, there are different treatment delivery methods. Examples include:
- Residential stays that allow your loved one to live at the facility while undergoing treatment
- Extended care, which is essential for someone who has a difficult time healing in 30 days
- Partial hospitalization that lets the person spend time at the facility during the day and return home at night
- Intensive outpatient treatment is a part-time approach to rehab that works well for qualified participants
- 12 Step program attendance after discharge for relapse prevention
Sometimes, people don’t know what to expect from treatment. They might say no to it simply because they’re afraid of living somewhere that they don’t want to be. By explaining how the process works, you help dispel some of the myths and fears they have. Start learning how to help a drug addict who doesn’t want help with a call to a rehab facility.
Case in point is Driftwood Recovery. Caring therapists there routinely help people just like your loved one overcome a variety of addictions. They customize treatment protocols to meet the needs of program participants. Call 866-426-4694 to find out how it works.