I Need To Convince My Loved One To Seek Treatment
Most people suffering from addiction are unable to completely stop on their own. The inability to seek treatment, slow or stop use is one of the biggest red flags of addiction, and chances are, you have realized that your loved one can not do it on their own. You may also have been negatively affected by your loved one’s addiction. They may have acted out toward you, unleashed a bad temper, stolen from you, taken advantage of you or otherwise abused you.
You have likely realized many of the other red flags of addiction, such as:
- Secretive behavior
- Change in personality
- Marked weight loss or weight gain
- Neglecting responsibilities
- Change in social circle
- Withdrawing from people they love and activities they once found enjoyable
If you are thinking about approaching your loved one about seeking treatment, it can be a very scary prospect. You might be worried they will act out, remain in denial or refuse help. However, it is important to remember that your loved one is suffering from a chronic, fatal disease that requires treatment. If you feel strongly about your loved one entering treatment, do not give up.
Do Research
The first step to convincing a loved one to seek treatment is to do some research. Consider what substance they are addicted to, the severity of their addiction and what their needs are. Finding the right treatment center for addiction can make all the difference during recovery and whether or not your loved one will connect with it.
The scariest part about recovery for someone suffering from addiction is the unknown. How long will detox take? Will there be medicated detox? What is the treatment center like? How long will I be there for? How much will it cost? These are all common questions and fears, so being prepared and able to answer any fears your loved one will have can make all the difference in whether or not they agree to seek treatment.
Approach Your Loved One
Once you are ready to present treatment options to your loved one, it is time to approach them with the prospect of seeking treatment. These conversations can go one of two ways: your loved one will agree to treatment, or they will strongly oppose it. Be ready for your loved one to possibly become defensive.
Be Empathetic
People suffering from addiction tend to lie to their loved ones, or deny their use, due to the stigma surrounding addiction. They do not want to be seen as a person with low moral standards or someone who cannot control their own life. This is why it is important to approach the conversation with empathy and care.
No matter how much damage your loved one’s addiction may have caused, it is important to separate the addiction from the person. People act out in ways they normally wouldn’t while in the throes of addiction, so being empathetic to their suffering is extremely important. Blaming your loved one for the negative consequences their addiction has caused and using it as a weapon against them in order for them to seek treatment will never work. Instead, come from a place of love, concern and support.
Use “I” Statements
Saying such phrases as, “I am concerned about you,” “I am afraid you will die,” and “I cannot lose you to this addiction” will go a long way. Open the conversation by acknowledging it will be a tough one, and remind them that they are loved. “I know that this conversation will be hard, but I am having it with you because I love you. If I didn’t care about you, I wouldn’t be bringing this up.”
Enlist Help
Sometimes, approaching your loved one and asking them to seek treatment does not go over well. They may become defensive, deny they have a serious issue and storm off. The conversation can quickly turn into an argument and become volatile. This is not because your loved one does not care about what you have to say, or that they truly don’t think they are suffering from addiction. It is because their addiction is trying to manipulate the situation. Their body is physically dependent on a substance, and will do whatever it can to keep the supply coming – including refusing help.
If your efforts have been unsuccessful alone or with family, it may be time to enlist professional help. Working with an interventionist can make all the difference, and they will help you and your family along the entire process. Using an interventionist, you can leverage privileges against your loved one to convince them to seek treatment. These can be such things as: if you do not seek treatment, you can no longer live in my home. If you do not seek treatment, I will no longer financially support you. If you do not seek treatment, you will be cut off completely. Being faced with the prospect of losing everything can be the thing that finally clicks for many people.
Keep The Support Going
Once you are able to successfully convince your loved one to seek treatment, the support and empathy does not end there. Make sure you are an active participant in your loved one’s recovery and sobriety, including any therapy sessions. When someone enters treatment, it is a very vulnerable time and many new emotions and thoughts are surfacing. Support is more important now than ever, so make sure your loved one knows that you are there for them – no matter what.
About Pinelands Recovery Center
Realizing you need to convince a loved one to seek treatment can be very emotional. Addiction is a family disease that affects everyone and everything around the person suffering from the addiction. Pinelands is the perfect place for your loved one to get back on track after suffering an addiction, as well as the start of repairing your relationship.
Pinelands Recovery Center of Medford is widely known as one of New Jersey’s finest, most respected addiction treatment facilities. With comfortable 30-bed accommodations and a 24-hour professional staff, we can offer clients a serene, relaxing environment amid the lush piney woods. This stress-free setting with its sense of warmth and welcoming enables you to feel comfortable and confident about your clean and sober life ahead.
We will establish clear goals, both general in nature and specific to your needs. We continue to monitor those goals, to make sure that our clients are progressing and buying into their recovery plan. We thrive on assisting clients in feeling connected to the recovery community, share and demonstrate effective coping techniques, help clients to modify attitudes and patterns of behavior and everything else you will need to be happy and productive living a sober, healthy life.
We ensure that clients complete their planned concrete tasks, encourage hope, optimism and healthy living. Our recovery program is not a revolving door treatment program; it is a recovery model designed to help clients go on to lead productive, happy lives. For more information, visit pinelandsrecovery.com