Group Rehab Session

Help the Ones We Love: This Is How to Convince Someone to Go to Rehab

It’s hard to help those who refuse to help themselves. It’s even harder to keep trying without growing bitter and hopeless.

But don’t give up because there is hope. You can learn how to convince someone to go to rehab. And you can do it right here.

This article explains clearly the steps you need to take to convince your loved one to seek help. It also explains what not to do so you don’t make matters worse.

Learn the proper way to approach intervention by reading this guide.

What Not to Do

First thing’s first: you need to stop any behaviors that aren’t helping your cause. One of the most common is nagging or begging them to stop their addiction. 

This clearly hasn’t been working and both of you know that by now. These pleas aren’t an encouraging, actionable, or logical way to stop addiction. If anything, they enforce the addict’s pattern of ignoring you.

Next, cease all judgment and outrage in your response to the addiction. Again, these help nothing and only make the addict feel worse. Their response will be to turn to their addiction for comfort.

Start Fresh

Bitterness can be addictive, too. Stopping your outrage, judgment, and nagging is easier said than done.

It’s best to pretend you’re starting all over, addressing this addiction for the first time. Letting go of the past makes it easier for you to adopt the more helpful behaviors we’re about to explain.

Plan the Intervention

NEVER try a spur-of-the-moment intervention. It will surely do more harm than good.

Instead, plan ahead by educating yourself on the addiction and on intervention. Plan exactly what you’re going to say. Clear a spot in your schedule and have the addict clear theirs for this “appointment.”

Also, learn about the different kinds of rehab programs that are available. Some are very traditional and clinical while others are more nature-based, like this one here. Research these options ahead of time to find the program that may suit the addict best. 

Bring this information with you into the intervention. Then, you and the addict can decide on a course of action together.

Have a Heart-to-Heart

Next, you or the person closest to the addict must carry out the plan above. Before a group intervention, it’s best to try a one-on-one approach.

Be Honest

Be honest about how you feel about this addiction. Be firm in explaining that you absolutely will not tolerate this behavior anymore.

Be Empathetic

Next, you must let them know that you’re doing this because you love them, not because you’re sick of them or their behavior. Remind them that, if you didn’t care about them, you wouldn’t be having this conversation.

As much as you can, avoid the words “you” and “should.” These come off as accusatory and judgemental. Use “I” statements instead.

Try to be general in the way you speak about addiction so they don’t feel personally singled out.

Group Intervention

If the one-on-one approach doesn’t work, it’s time to try a group intervention. Choose the group members from the addict’s closest friends and family.

Make sure they are fully educated on addiction and intervention. They must be prepared to intervene as we’ve described above.

Professional Intervention

As a final effort, enlist professional help. A professional interventionist is better equipped than the average person to perform an intervention.

But they should still be your last choice. This way, the addict is approached first by those who truly care about them.

Keep This Guide on How to Convince Someone to Go to Rehab

Preparation and proper communication is key to getting through to the addict you love. Don’t attempt intervention unprepared. Follow this guide on how to convince someone to go to rehab.

We have many more articles like this one for you to explore. Discover more helpful relationship advice on our relationship blog.

 
 

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