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How to Get Someone Into Drug Rehab: A Guide for Families

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Getting someone into drug rehab requires understanding their substance use issues and treatment options and knowing when and how to talk to them. This article explains the process and how Capital Recovery can help.

Key Takeaways

  • When getting a loved one into drug rehab, it’s important to understand their substance use issues and treatment options.
  • You can prepare for conversations and the intervention process by adopting a compassionate approach, setting realistic expectations, identifying boundaries, and having a treatment plan worked out. Enlisting a professional interventionist can also help.
  • Once your loved one enters treatment, you can keep supporting them by attending family therapy and preparing for aftercare. You should also take care of yourself to avoid burnout and codependency.

Table of Contents

Introduction

When it comes to recovery, taking the first step can be the hardest part for both the individual and the family. For families, the stakes can feel infinite, and getting the timing and language right is everything. They may also be up against someone who doesn’t think they have a problem, and you can’t force anyone to change.

how to get someone into drug rehab- it starts with a conversation

However, an NIH-funded clinical study of 110 concerned others calling about a loved one’s substance use disorder found 55% engaged during Stage I (the least intensive step — a coached family meeting), another 26% engaged during Stage II (1–5 additional meetings), bringing the cumulative total to 81%, and Stage III (a modified formal intervention) added a final 2%, for an overall 83% engagement rate. It truly is worth the effort.

Knowing what to say and when to say it is crucial, but this article will guide you through the process and provide the support you need.

What Are the Signs That Someone Needs Help?

Various behavioral, physical, and emotional warning signs indicate when someone should seek treatment. Here are a few to watch for.

Behavioral Signs

  • Sudden secrecy about whereabouts, activities, or finances
  • Withdrawing from family gatherings, friends, or hobbies they used to enjoy
  • Missing work, school, or important obligations
  • Unexplained need for money, or missing money/valuables from the home
  • Doctor shopping or refilling prescriptions early
  • New social circle, especially one they’re evasive about
  • Risky behavior (driving under the influence, unsafe sex, legal trouble)
  • Lying or making excuses that don’t add up
  • Decline in personal responsibilities (bills, childcare, pet care)

Physical Signs

  • Sudden weight loss or gain
  • Bloodshot or glassy eyes, dilated or constricted pupils
  • Slurred speech or impaired coordination
  • Tremors, shakes, or unsteady gait
  • Poor hygiene or grooming that’s out of character
  • Unusual smells on breath, body, or clothing
  • Frequent nosebleeds (if snorting substances) or track marks/skin sores (if injecting)
  • Changes in sleep patterns — insomnia or excessive sleeping
  • Deterioration in overall appearance over a short period

Emotional/Psychological Signs

  • Increased irritability, mood swings, or unexplained anger
  • Anxiety or paranoia that wasn’t previously present
  • Periods of unusual euphoria followed by crashes
  • Depression, apathy, or loss of motivation
  • Defensiveness or hostility when asked about substance use
  • Denial, minimizing, or blaming others for problems
  • Emotional numbness or disconnect from loved ones
  • Signs of shame or guilt they won’t talk about

Cognitive/Functional Signs

  • Difficulty concentrating or increased forgetfulness
  • Poor decision-making or lapses in judgment
  • Confusion or disorientation
  • Decline in performance at work or school
  • Neglecting long-term goals or responsibilities in favor of substance use

Why Is It Important to Understand That Addiction Is a Disease?

When family members understand that addiction is a disease, they can process why it’s so difficult to stop. That empathy can help them connect better with their loved one and take the right approach.

Addiction is considered a brain disorder because it changes the brain’s structure and function. It rewires the brain, making drugs a compulsion, and that’s why it’s so difficult to stop.

Various conditions contribute to barriers to addiction treatment, feeding compulsive tendencies, such as:

  • Underlying emotional conditions such as trauma and mental health disorders, which lead to self-medication
  • Stigma, which makes people concerned about how others will perceive them if they admit they have a problem
  • Addiction’s impact on judgment, which is why many people don’t realize they have a problem

How Can I Prepare Before I Approach My Loved One?

Preparing for that conversation requires researching treatment options, learning about your loved one’s condition, setting expectations, deciding who will be part of the conversation, and having the next steps ready.

  • Research Treatment Options: Talk to various providers to determine the best addiction treatment center for your loved one’s needs. Discuss which programs are right for them, whether it be a residential treatment, a partial hospitalization program, or other outpatient programs. Be ready to answer questions about what treatment will look like, in case your loved one asks.
  • Understand Your Loved One’s Situation: Identify the severity of substance abuse and possible underlying factors, such as trauma and mental health conditions.
  • Set Realistic Expectations: Denial, pushback, and flat refusals are typical, especially during the first conversation. Prepare for those possibilities and expect to revisit the matter later. Stay calm and consider de-escalation techniques if necessary.
  • Identify Boundaries: Decide what you will and won’t do regarding financial support, covering for them, and housing, regardless of their choice. Get clear on this before your conversation so you’re not making promises or ultimatums.
  • Decide Who Will Be Part of the Conversation: This could be friends, close family members, or anyone closely involved who has the least conflict with your loved one. You may also consider bringing in a professional interventionist or addiction specialist to guide the conversation.
  • Have the Next Steps Ready to Go: If your loved one agrees to treatment, it’s best to get them to a facility right away, before they change their mind. Make sure everything is in place for paperwork and admissions. You may even pack a suitcase in advance.

How Should I Talk to a Loved One About Treatment?

When talking to a loved one about drug addiction treatment, it’s important to choose the right moment, lead with love and concern, use “I statements”, be specific about their behavior and impact, practice active listening, avoid ultimatums and threats, stay calm, have treatment information ready, and know when to pause and start another time.

  • Choose the Right Moment: Approach them during a calm moment, not in the middle of a crisis.
  • Lead with Love and Concern: Let them know you’re worried about them. Use ‘I statements’ to express your feelings.
  • Be Specific About Behavior and Impact: Point out specific actions and explain how they made you or others feel. Avoid generalizations, which can make them defensive.
  • Practice Active Listening: Make them feel heard by responding to and asking questions about what they’re saying.
  • Avoid Ultimatums and Threats: Including these in the conversation can make your loved one withdraw. However, ultimatums may work when they’re part of a larger plan. For example, you may tell your loved one that you won’t support them financially unless they get help. If you use these tactics, be prepared to follow through.
  • Stay Calm: Escalating can only make matters worse. If your loved one escalates or repeatedly refuses treatment, it may be time to hit pause and revisit the conversation at another time.

What Is a Formal Intervention and When Should I Consider One?

Interventions are often used to get someone into rehab

A formal intervention is guided by a professional and may be considered after repeated refusals. Enlisting a professional could help because they are neutral facilitators with de-escalation training and can assist with treatment placement.

An interventionist will likely discuss intervention approaches with the family. The Johnson Model and ARISE Model are among the most popular.

  • Johnson Model: The interventionist plans an intervention day. The person is taken by surprise, and confrontation happens all at once, making it an ideal strategy when safety is a concern. However, the person may feel ambushed and defensive.
  • ARISE Model: The loved one is invited to the intervention, and several meetings may take place if they don’t agree to treatment right away. This model reduces secrecy and the chances that the person will feel ambushed.

Regardless of the approach, an intervention typically requires:

  • Impact Letters: Attending friends and family members write these, explaining how the addiction has affected them. Attendees will review what they will say, ensuring a compassionate tone, and work out speaking order.
  • Agreeing on boundaries and consequences if the person refuses help.
  • Choosing a controlled setting.
  • Having a treatment plan ready.

The interventionist will help with preparation and be there on the day of the intervention to ensure all goes as planned.

Selecting the right interventionist is essential, and families can vet professionals by checking credentials, asking about their specific approach, reviewing reviews, and asking for referrals.

What Types of Treatment Options Are Available?

Treatment options at Capital Recovery include medically assisted detox, partial hospitalization program (PHP), intensive outpatient program (IOP), and traditional outpatient options.

  • Medically Assisted Detox: If necessary, the clinic will provide a medically supervised detox process, focused on managing withdrawal symptoms and reducing the risk of complications.
  • Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP): Offers structured support, with sessions lasting several hours a day, several days a week. Clients can live in our supportive living facility while attending PHP.
  • Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP): A more flexible program, with shorter sessions, typically 3 hours a day, 3-5 days a week, allowing clients to plan treatment around work, school, and other responsibilities.
  • Traditional Outpatient Treatment: Weekly or biweekly sessions as a form of primary care or ongoing support.

We also follow up with an aftercare program to help clients maintain optimal wellness and sobriety.

What Happens After My Loved One Enters Treatment?

Once your loved one enters treatment, you will continue to be a part of their recovery journey. A broad 2024-2025 systematic review shows family involvement improves outcomes in 11 of 15 trials. Families can support their loved one by attending therapy, setting boundaries, and preparing for aftercare.

  • Family Therapy: Family members attend therapy sessions to learn more about their loved one’s condition and ensure they provide a healing home environment.
  • Setting Boundaries: Boundaries can refer to communication, ensuring calls and visits support healing and don’t rehash grievances; finances, being clear about what you will and won’t pay for; and behavior, such as whether they will live at home after treatment.
  • Preparing for Aftercare: Families should outline a plan for what happens after recovery is complete, outlining a structure for living at home and collaborating on relapse planning.

How Can I Support Myself as a Caregiver?

Caregivers can support themselves by avoiding burnout and codependency, joining support groups, and setting boundaries.

  • Avoid Burnout and Codependency: Make space for your own needs to avoid burnout. Don’t let your sense of stability depend on their needs.
  • Support Groups for Families: Various support groups are available for families of individuals dealing with drug abuse, such as Al-Anon and Nar-Anon.
  • Set Boundaries: Decide how you will and won’t support your loved one, and be clear about your boundaries to ensure they are respected.

Capital Recovery Can Help You Achieve Higher Levels of Well-Being

Taking the first step can be the hardest part, but our rehab center will guide you through recovery. We offer a range of care levels, ensuring a personalized plan suited to your lifestyle and treatment goals. Our comprehensive care supports you from detox to rehab and beyond.

Contact us when you or a loved one needs assistance to overcome substance use disorder.

FAQs

How do I know if my loved one needs rehab or if they can quit on their own?

Your loved one may need help if they’ve tried to cut back or stop before and haven’t been able to, if substance use is affecting their health, relationships, work, or finances, or if they’re experiencing withdrawal symptoms when they stop. Professional treatment is likely necessary rather than relying on willpower alone.

Can I force an adult loved one into rehab against their will?

In most cases, no — treatment is voluntary for adults. Some states have narrow involuntary commitment laws for extreme, imminent-danger situations, but these vary widely and typically require specific legal criteria.

What’s the difference between an informal conversation and a formal intervention?

An informal conversation is typically one or two trusted people talking privately with the loved one, without a structured plan. A formal intervention involves a trained interventionist, a prepared script, multiple participants, and often follows a specific model (like Johnson or ARISE).

Do I need to hire a professional interventionist?

Not always. Many families have successful conversations without a professional interventionist, but they can help if previous attempts have failed, the situation feels high-risk, or family dynamics make it hard to stay calm and focused during the conversation.

What if my loved one refuses treatment?

Refusal doesn’t mean the situation is hopeless. It’s common for it to take multiple conversations. In the meantime, set clear boundaries, avoid enabling behaviors, and stay connected with your own support system (like Al-Anon) to keep the door open for when they’re ready.

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