There are many complex ways on how to tell if someone you love has been abusing klonopin, one drug for example. But beyond that, to actually cope with a loved one in drug rehab can be very worrying and challenging, especially if they are in inpatient rehabs and are unable to come home. Though you are relieved that they are seeking professional help to cope with their addiction, it is also normal to have doubts and questions about their treatment process and how it works. If you find yourself in this situation, take a deep breath and follow our steps in dealing with the idea of them in rehab.
Important Things to Bear in Mind
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He is Well Taken Care Of
Before you do anything, remind yourself that your loved one is not there without his consent, and he is also not being tied up. He or she has been suffering from substance addiction and is at rehab receiving treatment to get better again.
He is being taken care of by professional personnel and medical staff, who have all undergone intense and proper training to aid patients who are suffering from addictions. Your loved one is also constantly surrounded by peers who are going through the same thing as him; to offer additional emotional and moral support when times get tough.
Apart from the specialized treatment and therapy sessions, he will also be going through group therapy and one-to-one counseling to expedite his recovery process. Moreover, he will be getting ample sleep and nutrition in order for his body to resist the temptation of falling into a relapse. All in all, he is in the hands of experienced medical staff, whose goals are to help him overcome his substance addiction and start life afresh. So start worrying less and trust in the rehab facility!
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Avoid Taking it Personally
During the initial period of enrolling in rehab, you should not be expecting any form of communication with your loved one; he or she is not allowed to text or call during the first few days or weeks. Medical staff at the rehab center are also prohibited from passing on any information to you about your family member’s progress due to privacy issues and federal privacy laws. Therefore, you shouldn’t take it to heart if the staff declines giving out any information– they are just doing their job and are not intentionally hiding anything from you.
Your loved one is also not allowed to have any contact with the outside world; be it watching television, listening to the radio or reading newspapers. This is to ensure that they are kept focused on their recovery process without any distractions that may hinder their road to recovery. Though the tight restrictions may seem harsh, it is crucial for them to be void of any external influences in order to reach their goal as quickly as possible. So just relax and wait for him or her to contact you whenever they can; They’ll definitely appreciate your patience and support!
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Be More Involved
Often, rehabilitation centers will get the patient’s family members and loved ones involved in the program, as studies have shown that this will drastically lower the chances of a relapse. When the time comes, rehab centers will usually invite you down to the facility for a “Family Psychoeducational Workshop” or other similar family day events, in order to keep you in the loop as to what is going on. Rehab centers often encourage family members to visit, so that they can voice their concerns or ask any questions regarding their addicted family member.
Benefits of Family Involvement
Showing support will indeed help your loved one feel more accepted and encouraged. With physical and mental support, they will be able to feel more empowered as they receive treatments to overcome their struggles and be more motivated to push on. Hence, being more involved in the process not only benefits your loved one, but also benefits you as well! Here’s how:
- It allows the facility to gain a deeper understanding of the dynamics of the family and how the family interact, to tailor their treatments more to the patient’s background
- As mentioned before, it gives the patient support and more motivation, knowing that his family is there to encourage him
- It allows the patient to understand how his addiction has affected the family as a whole, which serves as a strong deterrent against future relapses
What You Can Learn in Family Workshops
The sole purpose of family workshops is to aid the family members of the patient in learning more about substance addiction, and how it affects not only the patient but his/her family as well. It aims at reducing the burden of the family, promoting helpful and positive behaviors, and also to lessen any negative behavior that may hinder the recovery process.
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, these are some of the topics covered in the workshop, that may benefit both parties:
- An introduction to substance abuse and over-reliance, which includes, prevalence, causes, symptoms and some basic terminologies and concepts
- Possible adverse effects of substance use disorders on all parties, including the addicted, family members and even children in the household
- Potential obstacles during the recovery process for the affected, in terms of physical, psychological, emotional, social, spiritual and others, and also the measuring of outcomes and progress
- Tips on how family members can lend support, which includes enabling behaviors and debilitating behaviors that the family can exercise and avoid, to aid the recovery process
- Steps for family members on healing from any negative effects due to the involvement in a close relationship with an addict
- Self-help sessions for family members and ways in which they can help
- Common symptoms and warning signs of a relapse, relapse prevention planning involving family members, and how to deal with a possible actual relapse if it occurs
Family Workshops Are Not Equivalent to Therapy Sessions
Though family workshops encourage honest feelings that may bring out a lot of strong emotions, it is not the same as therapy sessions. Undoubtedly, family members may have gone through a lot of suffering and emotional trauma from their loved one who is addicted to drugs, and sometimes, these feelings of post-trauma may culminate during these family workshops. However, the facility is focused on the affected, and not the loved ones of the affected. Hence, if family members require additional help, they have to seek it elsewhere and should not treat the session as a form of therapy.
Explore the Option of Self-help
If you find yourself overwhelmingly stressed from the process, or have a lot of unrequited feelings from your experience with your addicted loved ones, you should consider seeking help for yourself. You can sign up for mutual support groups like AL-Anon or Naranon, while younger members can opt for Alateen. Joining support groups have been proven to be extremely helpful and positive in bringing about changes to your deep-seated negative emotions.
You can also start small by reading more about alcoholism and addiction, to understand more about the dynamics of how it can affect family members as well. The deeper your understanding of the issue, the more equipped you will be in helping yourself or your other family members overcome these strong feelings and emotions.
Having a family member go through addiction and then taking the brave step to seek help is not an easy feat for him. Though times can be challenging, always offer emotional and physical support to him. Learn to reassure yourself that this will be better for him as well, and after the whole process, he will step back into reality with a fresh start. Both the addict and his family members have a part to play in expediting the recovery process, and when both parties are able to fully trust and encourage each other, your loved one will be out and well again in no time.
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