Is My Partner Ready for Rehab?

Watching a loved one struggle with addiction is an extremely painful process. Addiction can turn even the most caring person into a lying manipulative stranger. As a loved one, we only want the best for them. But it can be difficult to separate being supportive and enabling. What should you do if your loved one is struggling with addiction?

Have you discussed treatment yet?

This is the first step. A person struggling with addiction is not a mind reader. Just because you are concerned does not mean that they know it. It is easier to justify your behavior when it goes unnoticed. They may also be concerned about their using and not know how to ask for help. I often receive phone calls from family members asking how to get their loved one into treatment. And yet, they have not had a conversation yet with the person. Until the conversation happens, there is little I can do. This conversation does not have to be an intervention-style like on TV. It does not need to be an argument. But, there is nothing we can do before you have a conversation.

If you notice there is an issue, it is an issue.

One of the clinical standards for addiction is “does the person’s substance use cause trouble with family members or friends”. It isn’t enough on its own to diagnose a person with an addiction. But if their use is causing conflict and they continue using, it is a red flag. Denial and minimizing consequence is a part of addiction. A person with an addiction may deny there is an issue. They may say that YOU need to go to rehab. These are deflections. The bottom line: if there is conflict, there is a red flag.

Meet the person where they are.

Your loved one can respond in one of three ways:

  1. They may be unwilling to go to rehab
  2. They may be unsure about going to rehab
  3. They may be ready to go to rehab.

If they are in the first stage, they are in Precontemplation. People in this stage of change have little or no consideration towards changing their behavior in the foreseeable future. This does not mean they are hopeless. It means they have not considered a change. In order to move forward, they need to start considering quitting. If they are in the second stage then they are in Contemplation. In contemplation, the person often will want to continue using but is tired of the consequences. They want to both stop using AND continue using. In this stage, an honest discussion of the pros and cons is useful. Ideally, this should be done without judgment and without pushing. In the last stage, they are ready for rehab.

If this is the case have them call 800-988-9960 and speak to one of our treatment facilitators to learn more about our program!