75% of people who have an addiction move forward to survive and live a normal life. However, that often doesn’t happen on their own.

With the help of their loved ones and a support system, they are able to kick their addiction to the curb and move on to live happily. But a lot of times, that has to start with other steps as well. For one, they have to go to rehab.

This step is crucial to help with a drug or alcohol addiction. But how do you get your loved one to go to a rehab facility without them feeling like you’re turning against them? That part is key.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through what you can do to convince a loved one to go to rehab on their terms.

Choose Empathy

Dealing with a loved one who has a drug addiction or alcohol addiction is not easy. You can feel frustrated and at your wit’s end. They may not be listening to you, and you may feel that you don’t have much left to offer.

However, even though you may be at that point, offering empathy is one of the most important things you can do with your loved one. Being angry, frustrated, or placing blame is only going to make things worse.

By being empathetic, you will be able to talk to your loved one in a way that they can come to terms with their own decision rather than you making one for them or forcing them (which typically doesn’t work in the long run).

So what does this look like? Providing empathy may look like this:

• Asking open-ended questions for your loved one to respond to
• Avoiding any type of criticism or harsh comments
• Demonstrating your concern for them and their overall well-being
• Staying away from arguing with a loved one

Maintain Boundaries

If you want to remain sane for the time-being that your loved one is dealing with an addiction, you have to be able to set boundaries to ensure you are staying mentally okay as well.

These boundaries can keep the right amount of control in both of your lives even if there is still frustration and a bit of craziness at the time. You have to ensure that you are not compromising your own well-being for theirs because that will make you less capable of dealing with them.

When setting boundaries, you have to be specific with how you will and will not help your loved one. Here are a few examples:

• You will provide a safe place for them to stay but will not give them money
• You will cook meals but will not be able to get them to work because you have your own job to get to
• You will put spending time with your kids over dealing with frustrations with your loved one

These are just a few examples of boundaries to set with your loved one who has an addiction.

Do Not Try to Do It Alone

Dealing with someone with an addiction can be exhausting, and doing it alone is not always the best route. There are so many other people and organizations that can help you help your loved one.

The more pressure you put on yourself during this time, the harder it is going to be for you. So what can you do to take that pressure off and alleviate some of the stress you are feeling?

• Try going to an Al-Anon or Nar-Anon for people who love those who are dealing with addiction
• Connecting with other friends and family to have a support system for yourself
• Connecting with an addiction treatment specialist even if your loved one isn’t ready for the help
• Talk to a therapist to deal with your own emotions

Encourage Responsibility

You can’t take responsibility for your loved one’s addiction. They have to take the responsibility for themselves and their own struggles. Although you can be there to help out, it is not your responsibility to take the blame for them.

For them to seek help, they have to admit that they have a problem and take the responsibility for it all. They are the only ones who can make the choice to seek help for their addiction.

Your role in this is to encourage them to take responsibility. This is a fine line as you want to help them come to this conclusion rather than hinder this. You cannot excuse behaviors or actions because of their addiction, but you also don’t want to place too much blame either.

For instance, if your loved one chooses to not go to work because they were too drunk the night before or are still drunk, they have to take the responsibility to call their workplace to call out – it is not your responsibility.

How to Help Your Loved One Go to Rehab

If you have been trying to figure out how to help your loved one go to rehab, this guide should help you get started. It’s not an easy process, and you will have a balance to strike.

It is best to always encourage them to be responsible for their actions, but it is also on you to ensure you are not trying to do it all alone.

If you want to contact an addiction center or your loved one is finally ready to go, you can contact us at Addiction Intervention. We are here to help you both.