Watching your spouse fall down the rabbit hole of addiction can be a horrifying thing to witness, doubly so because you feel helpless and unsure of how to manage the person you vowed to spend your life with. Whether they are addicted to alcohol, prescription medication or street drugs, the damage done to their body can be significant if you don’t step in and help them.
However addicts aren’t open to accepting help from others, in fact, most of them deny the problem exists to begin with. You may know that a rehab facility is what they need, but convincing them of that is another matter entirely.
Getting your spouse to rehab won’t be easy, but this essential step is required to get them back on the road to recovery. Here are some ways to ease into this.
Educate yourself
Start by learning more about addiction. While you can certainly learn through the Internet, it may be more beneficial to attend a local addiction support group meeting.
There are meetings for both addicts, and family members of addicts (Al-Anon and Nar-Anon are two organizations that provide support to family members specifically.
Learn from the experiences of the people at these meetings, and try to understand what your spouse is feeling and thinking.
Talk to them
Before you jump into an intervention, talk to your spouse yourself. Remember that you shouldn’t be passing judgment, blaming them, or making them feel bad about their addiction in a way that may be counter-productive.
Instead use “I” statements, and talk about your fears. If you have children, talk about the impact of growing up with a parent who is an addict.
The point of this conversation is to help them realize you understand there is a problem and you want to help them. For most addicts, rehab is the best way to get back on a path of recovery.
Plan an intervention
An intervention is a very effective tool in breaking through any walls an addict has built up. By collecting all concerned family members in one place, where they can show the addict how his or her problem impacts everyone’s lives, it is possible to make the addiction a problem everyone is dealing with instead of just the addict.
Instead of forcing them into rehab, an intervention lets the addict see their behavior through the eyes of their family, and can often be a wake-up call.
It can be tempting to plan an intervention on your own, but it is best to call in a professional. An intervention specialist has the skills to handle the addict, and can better explain their options to them.
During the intervention, your spouse will be convinced to check themselves into rehab, and ideally they will go to the facility right away. Make sure you’ve got a plan in place for who will take care of the kids while they are gone, as well as financial implications, since they will be gone for a while.
Support them through their treatment by going to meet them, attending any relevant meetings, and supporting them in any other way they need. Getting a loved one through rehab isn’t easy, but with support and encouragement they can kick their addiction and become the person you fell in love with.
Do you or a loved one need advice on rehab programs? You can call us today for a consult or a meeting.
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