When it is no longer possible to ignore that addiction has taken root, either in your own life or the life of someone you love, it is time to get help.
A person in addiction doesn’t need to hit rock bottom.
Instead, they should get help immediately.
Choosing the Right Recovery Center
Going into treatment is often the quickest, most effective way to get back on track from addiction. Choosing the right recovery center is an important step in this process. Because not all recovery centers are created equal, it is important to do some research before making a decision. Find out:
- The facility’s philosophy
- The skills being taught to support a sober life
- How they handle special client needs
- What therapies are used
- Services provided for family and other supports
- Levels of care available
- Aftercare options
- Payment choices
- Accreditation
- Qualifications of staff
- If they have realistic expectations for recovery
Location, Location, Location
Don’t automatically assume that the best treatment is the closest location…or that it isn’t. Some people do find that getting treatment close to home is more beneficial, while others need distance to clear their heads. There are definitely pros and cons to rehab away from home.
Affording Treatment
If financing is a concern, the treatment center you select can suggest strategies for making treatment more affordable. In some cases, insurance may cover addiction treatment, either partially or fully. If insurance is paying, it will be important to know what the insurance company requires from the treatment center and if the treatment center will accept the specific insurance available.
Getting a Proper Diagnosis
Getting an evaluation can help to determine what type of treatment would be most beneficial. Often, the recovery center chosen for treatment can perform this assessment or recommend places to have it completed.
What to Expect
For many individuals who are attending rehab for the first time, they are not sure what it will entail. Although every recovery center is different, there are certain experiences that are nearly universal. It can help to ease anxiety if the person entering treatment and their loved ones know what to expect during the first week of recovery.
Taking Time to Get Healthy
If the person going to treatment has a job, they will likely need to take time off work to enter rehab. Even outpatient treatment often takes many hours per day. It simply isn’t viable in many cases to keep working full-time while new to recovery.
Many people fear that they will lose their jobs by admitting that they have a problem and need help, but there are legal protections for employees who are attempting to overcome addiction. Taking Time Off Work to Attend Rehab: What You Need to Know explains how to safeguard your job before seeking treatment.
Informing Friends and Family
Individuals struggling with addiction often aren’t sure how to tell their loved ones that they have a problem with substances. It is possible that friends and family already saw some concerning changes in the behavior, appearance, or priorities from the person struggling with addiction. They may or may not have already linked these concerns to substance abuse.
Often, the choices that an individual has made while in addiction can be hurtful to their friends and family. Relationships may have already sustained significant damage. It is important to rebuild trust.
Practicing self-care when a loved one struggles with addiction is critically important for anyone who is part of the support system of a person in recovery. The worry and stress can drive even the most loving, supportive person to the point of exhaustion and burnout.
In the ideal scenario, family and friends should be engaged in the treatment of the individual they love, so that they can learn how to support their loved one. They might learn about topics such as what to do when a loved one relapses and myths of why people become addicted.
What About the Kids?
Children are particularly vulnerable to the negative consequences from parental addiction and may need help understanding what has happened and the changes that are on the horizon for their family. Helping children to understand parental addiction is an important step, in order to break what can otherwise become a multi-generational cycle of dependence.
Children may also need help letting go of resentment resulting from a parent’s addiction. Therapy and Al-Anon are two options for helping children to develop healthy mindsets around their parents’ substance abuse issues.
Starting Over
During the first year of recovery, there are many changes within a person who has faced addiction and in the world they build around themselves.
While recovery is unique for everyone, there are common experiences. These may include sleeplessness, learning to overcome a victim mentality, developing new ways to manage stress and setting boundaries, among other things.
Sometimes people must overcome loneliness in recovery due to giving up contacts who are still using, after possibly already burning bridges with friends and family they had before addiction took over their life. For this reason, it is critical that people in recovery rebuild a healthy support system. This could include:
- Supportive family members
- Sponsor
- AA/NA community
- Other friends who are supportive of their sobriety
- Peer support specialist/recovery coach
- Clergy
- Substance abuse counselor
- Therapist
- Colleagues
- Significant other
- Probation/parole officer
- Family support worker
- Medical doctors
- Psychiatrist
As suggested by the list above, a person in recovery isn’t cured when treatment ends. Many people who become addicted were attempting to self-medicate mental health issues or trauma they didn’t know how else to address. Now, they must face those demons without their drug of choice.
Safe Harbor Recovery Center is here to teach the necessary skills and provide the resources individuals entering recovery need to get back on track. We are eager to work with support systems to build strong teams and facilitate expedition to the lives our clients want.
Sources:
psychologytoday.com/us/blog/addiction-recovery-101/201802/8-ways-help-when-loving-someone-addiction