How to Support Your Loved One in Rehab

When a loved one is in trouble with addiction or substance use disorder, their friends and family can play a crucial role in helping them get better. According to the Mayo Clinic, an intervention is sometimes necessary to get a loved one the support and addiction treatment they need by getting them into drug or alcohol rehab. It’s important to learn how to support your loved one in rehab because addiction treatment is an emotional journey, and patients need all the support and love they can get. Part of supporting them is taking time to educate yourself about the addiction they have and the rehab they’re attending. This will help you understand what’s going on with your loved one mentally and physically while in rehab, even if it’s just learning from the internet rather than personal experience. Let’s explore general tips on how to support your loved one in rehab.

What Is Addiction Treatment?

According to the Partnership to End Addiction, addiction treatment is focused on addressing someone’s physical, psychological, emotional, and social issues that occur in addition to the actual addiction to drugs or alcohol. The type of addiction treatment that someone receives while in rehab depends on the severity of the addiction and other individual factors, such as genetic history and co-occurring mental health disorders. At Resurgence Behavioral Health, there are different types and levels of addiction treatment: 

• Outpatient: In outpatient addiction treatment, patients come to a facility on a regular basis, such as a few hours a day, three days a week, to get therapy and treatment. Because they go home each day, it’s suited for those who have work or school obligations or personal responsibilities that require them to have the flexibility to keep up with their daily lives outside of rehab.
• Medication-Assisted Treatment: This is the use of medications to treat an addiction and its symptoms. A lot of times, patients can’t just receive holistic treatment and therapy, and they’ll need medication to manage some symptoms as they start to live in recovery. 
• Inpatient: This is a more intense option or rehab treatment that offers a 24/7 support system and supervision since patients live in the facility for an extended period. The duration of the stay depends on the patient’s symptoms and can vary from 30 to 90 days. 
• Dual Diagnosis Treatment: This kind of treatment program focuses on treating addiction as well as mental health disorders that coincide with substance use disorders. It’s common to have a holistic and medical approach, such as medications, therapy, and alternative treatments, to ensure both conditions are treated simultaneously.

If someone is suffering from an addiction, it’s important for them to get treatment right away. While the exact therapies and programs can differ from person to person, enrolling in a rehab like Resurgence Behavioral Health is the best option for recovery. If your loved one is reluctant to get addiction treatment, there are techniques and support services available to help. 

Your Role in a Loved One’s Recovery Journey

If you’re wondering how to support your loved one in rehab, there are resources to help you approach them effectively and compassionately. It might seem hard to help your loved one, but you have more power than it seems at first. There are specific ways you can enhance and motivate your loved one during the process. Some of the roles you can play in your loved one’s recovery include the following: 

• Attend Support Meetings: This could involve attending meetings with your loved one at Alcoholics Anonymous or a support group established at rehab. Being there with your loved one as extra support will mean a lot to them and might make the time at the support meeting easier than when they go alone. 
• Don’t Enable: Even though you might think it’s supportive just to allow your loved one to continue with addictive behavior, it’s only harming them more. This means you shouldn’t be giving them money or making excuses for their inappropriate, addictive behaviors. 
• Be Nonjudgmental: Your loved one might already feel judged by the world and themselves. It’s important to be positive and empathetic as they go through treatment, become sober, and recover.
• Be Patient: Someone going through addiction treatment might feel uncomfortable during the process of getting sober. It will take time for them to really wrap their head around being fully sober, so give them time to get acquainted and understand what they need to do to recover.

How to Establish Boundaries During a Loved One’s Addiction Treatment

Part of supporting your loved one in rehab is establishing a clear boundary during their treatment. Healthy boundaries can help prevent negative consequences. When you establish boundaries, you have to understand your role and limits to what you can or should do. Although you might want to push them into certain treatments or encourage them to get help if they haven’t yet, you need to know your place and that they need unconditional love and support as they figure out their next steps in the recovery process — and not feel forced into something they aren’t ready for yet emotionally.

According to Mental Health America, healthy boundaries can include not going to certain places that could tempt them into their past behaviors. It’s also appropriate to make clear to your loved one that, if relapse were to happen, you will continue to be supportive and motivate them to go back to rehab. These boundaries should be discussed before your loved one seeks addiction treatment.

Find Out How to Support Your Loved One in Rehab at Resurgence Behavioral Health

Resurgence Behavioral Health’s specialists can help you find out how to support your loved one in rehab. The addiction treatment process doesn’t just involve the patient but anyone else who cares about them and wants them to get better. Resurgence Behavioral Health allows patients to have visitiors on specific days and times for patients who are attending inpatient rehab. If a patient is doing outpatient treatment, they can see their loved ones after treatment or before as they don’t have to stay at the facility 24/7. Giving your loved one support during their addiction treatment process is crucial in increasing their chances of being more motivated to get sober and achieve recovery. Find out more about how we can help by calling us at 855-458-0050. 

External Sources

• Mayo Clinic — Intervention 
• Partnership to End Addiction — Addiction

Mental Health America — Boundaries

Josh Chandler
After growing up in Chicago and North Carolina, Josh chose to get help with substance use disorder and mental health in California because of the state's reputation for top-tier treatment. There, he found the treatment he needed to achieve more than five years of recovery. He's been in the drug and alcohol addiction rehab industry for four years and now serves as the Director of Admissions for Resurgence Behavioral Health. Josh remains passionate about the field because he understands that one phone call can alter the course of a person's life.

Research | Editorial