When someone who has children is suffering from a drug addiction, it can often make the situation far worse than it would be if the person was battling the addiction on their own. There are many people who try to overcome their addiction on their own only to fail when times get hard, stress becomes too much for them to deal with, or they simply cannot handle the withdrawal symptoms that they experience.
The following guide walks you through the process to follow to ensure that you can get a loved one the help that they need when they want to get off of drugs and be the best parent that they can be.
Ensure You Understand What They Are Going Through
It can be hard to help someone overcome their addiction if you’ve never been addicted to anything before in your life. You may need to meet with a counselor or drug rehab therapist to learn what your loved one is going through mentally, physically, and emotionally. This can help you get a better grasp on what to expect when you try to talk to them about the help that they need and how you are willing to help in any way that you can. It can also help you to be more compassionate in their time of need.
Come up with a Plan of Action
Once you understand what the person is going through, you need to determine what type of treatment the person needs in order to be successful with their recovery. For many addicts, they need to get away from their environment so that they can fully detox from the drugs and not be around temptations that could cause them to relapse. Inpatient drug rehab treatment is often the best option for recovering drug addicts.
Find a Detox Center for Your Loved One
Next, you need to find a detox center nearby that your loved one can go to in order to get clean. Choosing Cleveland clinic detox center may be one of the best options; as the state is suffering from the ongoing addiction crisis, many detox and rehab centers have opened to great results.
You want to be sure that the center offers inpatient treatment options and contact them to see if there is a waiting list for new patients. Many centers have waiting lists, especially if they are public institutions so getting your loved one on the list as soon as possible is essential.
Determine a Payment Plan
When you contact the center, you need to find out how much the treatment will cost. If your loved one has insurance, the insurance company may be able to cover their treatment costs. If they don’t, a public treatment center may be the best bet because it’s more affordable than a private treatment option.
Most people addicted to drugs don’t go to get treatment because they cannot afford to pay the bill when everything’s said and done. Talk to other members of your family to see if they would be willing to help pay for the treatment that your loved one needs. Most families are willing to work together to pay for the treatment if everyone’s in agreement.
Establish a Care Plan for the Children
Before you confront the addict with the idea of them getting help for their addiction, you need to have a plan in place for their children. They need to be able to rest assured that their children are going to be well cared for while they’re away.
If they’re able to have peace of mind that their kids are going to be in good hands, it will better the chance of them taking the opportunity to get help with their sobriety so that they can be a better parent to their children.
Be sure that the person the children stay with is someone they like and feel comfortable being around rather than just being someone who has room for them or the finances to support them. You want to be sure that everything’s done to make the children as comfortable as they can be throughout the entire process.
Hold an Intervention
Once you have everything in place, get friends and family together to hold an intervention for your loved one. You want for everyone to let the person know that everyone cares about them and only wants what’s best for them.
Let them know that all of the work has been done to find them a place to go so that they can get help. Also, make sure that they know that their kids are going to be safe and that they don’t have to worry about paying for the treatment themselves. This can take away all the excuses that they could have and improve the chances of them getting help at the center.
Be Ready to Go Right Away
Once the intervention’s over, be ready to take him or her to the center right away. Many addicts tend to change their minds if they’re given a long period of time to think about what they’re doing. This is because they get scared of going through the detox process and are so afraid of failing that they choose not to try at all. Taking them to rehab right away ensure that they don’t have to time to back out and run away from the situation.
Be Supportive Through the Recovery
As your loved one recovers, you will get updates and there may even be times when you may be requested to come into therapy with the person. This may be an opportunity for them to explain how they are feeling about a situation or for them to be able to apologize for wrongdoings that they have done in the past. It’s best to be open-minded and willing to go to any meetings you are asked to go to so that you can show the person that they are loved and supported.
Get the Children Help
While their parent is in drug rehab, consider getting the children counseling for the things that they have been through and the feelings that they may be experiencing while they are away from their mother or father for an extended period of time. Not expressing their emotions can lead to a lot of emotional trauma in the future.
Be Willing to Make Changes in Your Life
Many families make the mistake of thinking that drug rehab only affects the addict that’s going through the treatment; unfortunately, that isn’t the case at all though. When someone goes through drug treatment, they need their friends and family to support them when they get out—this means not having alcohol or drugs around the person for quite a long time.
This shows that you appreciate and respect all of the work that the person has had to go through to overcome their addiction. It also ensures that you are not tempting them to do something that they should not do. Addicts cannot have just one drink, hit, or bump of anything and be able to go on with their lives; once someone’s an addict, they’re always an addict.
There will be no way to know how long it will take for your loved one to overcome their addiction. Be patient and understanding throughout everything. Try to keep their kids occupied and give them updates whenever you can so that they know that their parent’s safe and doing everything possible to be able to get clean and be a great parent for them in the future.
