Learning how to get someone to go to rehab is not an easy process. Most often, it is not possible to force a person to go into treatment. Even if you know they will benefit from it, they need to make the decision to get this care on their own. Yet, there are steps you can take as a close loved one who cares about them. Knowing what to say and how to approach the situation may help.
Keep in mind that every person is a bit different in what may motivate them to get help. For that reason, it is a good idea to learn a bit more about several approaches that may help.
Learn About the Disease and How Rehab Can Help
A good starting point is to learn as much as you can about rehab and how it works. When you do this, you become more knowledgeable about what happens in the treatment and can answer their arguments about why not to go. You can also learn how to get someone to go to rehab by working with a treatment center. For example, the treatment center can offer guidance to you on what they offer and how to talk to your loved one about what’s going to happen.
How does rehab help? Being able to answer that will encourage your loved one to get help. The benefits of rehab may include:
- No longer living under the control of a substance
- Being able to make their own decisions again
- Slowing or stopping the progression of health complications from addiction
- Getting comprehensive care that can help them to stop for good
- Learning how to overcome addiction limitations they have such as relationship problems, stress, and others
Make Sure They Understand Why You Want Them to Get Help
Having a conversation with someone about going to rehab is critical if you want to help someone get sober. However, you cannot tell them how they feel or how they need treatment. Instead, talk to them about why you want them to get help.
What has their use of drugs or alcohol done to you and your family? Has it caused changes in the relationships they have? Perhaps it has led to intense conflict with loved ones or, in some cases, abuse. You can pinpoint specific examples of things they missed out on as a result of their use. You may also be able to discuss financial strain that may be occurring as a result of their substance use disorder.
Tell Them What Has to Change
When you learn how to talk someone into going to rehab sometimes, you have to draw a line and force the change. For example, you may have to make some key changes in your life. You may no longer allow them to live in your home if they are using substances. You may not allow them to be around your family if they are using substances or under the influence.
If you are providing them with a place to live or money, it may be necessary to cut that off. Even doing this, they may not want to stop. However, it may be much more difficult for them to continue to use. Being uncomfortable and struggling without the financial support they need to continue their use could make them enter into treatment.
The key here is to know that, by paying the rent for them or giving them money for groceries, you are allowing them to continue on the same path. By making it impossible for them to get that easy access to the money they need to do so, they may be forced to make a change.
Tell Them How You Will Help Them
When you think about how to get someone to go to rehab, sometimes it takes telling them what you will do for them. That is, tell them what role you will play in this process. That may mean telling them that you will be by their side and attend meetings with them when you can.
You may want them to know that if they get treatment, you’ll help them get back on their feet, though that should not mean just giving them money. It may mean providing them with a place to live after therapy. It may also mean helping them to start to rebuild your relationship through family therapy. That may be how to help someone get sober.
Finding the Right Help to Get Started
Helping a person to stop using drugs or alcohol means helping to get them into a drug or alcohol treatment center. The process requires a lot of work, but a treatment center like 1st Step may be able to offer you guidance and support through that process. Give us a call at (866) 971-5531 to find out how we can help before you approach your loved one.
