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Addiction is a chronic and progressive disease that makes it difficult to tell you have a problem. The denial that often goes hand in hand with addiction prevents people from seeking the help they need. If you have an addicted loved one, you might be familiar with the common issue of refusing professional treatment.
According to the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, over 4 in 10 adults who needed addiction treatment did not receive the care they deserved.[1]
While there are many barriers to treatment, sometimes it comes down to refusal of help and denial that there is a problem. If your loved one does not want help for their addiction, you might be wondering if treatment would even work. While people should seek help for themselves, rehab can change your loved one’s thinking.
Substance abuse treatment centers can help addicts who are not quite ready for change yet. For example, medical detox can clear their minds, making them able to understand how substances have damaged their lives. Additionally, being around other sober people, engaging in therapy, and being separated from outside triggers can help your loved one decide it is time for a change.
In this article, you will learn:
- Why some drug addicts avoid treatment
- Whether rehab can help an addict who doesn’t want treatment
- 5 ways addiction treatment can help a drug addict who isn’t ready for change yet
Why is Your Loved One Avoiding Treatment?
There are tons of factors that could play a role in your loved one’s refusal to attend professional addiction treatment. First, they might be worried about the cost of a drug rehab program and having to take time off of work. Sometimes, rehab can seem like a bad financial decision, even though addiction eventually leads to job loss and financial trouble.
Other reasons your family member might be avoiding treatment include:[2]
- Underlying mental health problems that prevent them from thinking clearly
- Not being ready to give up the short-term benefits of abusing substances, like numbing emotions
- Lack of awareness about the long-term health risks of abusing drugs and alcohol
- Fear of experiencing withdrawal symptoms
- Not being aware of treatment facilities or how they work
Substance use disorders can make it difficult for someone to see the negative impacts drug and alcohol use is having on their lives. This is why friends or family members need to be honest with addicts about how their addiction is impacting them and the people around them. If your loved one refuses professional help, you could stage an intervention to convince them to attend treatment.
Can Rehab Help an Addict Who Doesn’t Want Help?
If your loved one is avoiding treatment, you need to make sure you are taking care of yourself. Watching a loved one struggle with addiction can be incredibly difficult on your mental health. You can take measures to stop enabling them, stop financially supporting them, and attend support groups like Al-Anon.
If you convince your loved one to attend treatment or force them into a program through involuntary commitment laws, you might be wondering if the treatment will work. Drug and alcohol rehab can help an addict who doesn’t want help in the following ways:
1. Clearing the Mind in Detox
When you are addicted to a drug, your mind is all over the place. In addition to mood swings, all you will be able to focus on is getting more of the substance. By participating in medical detox, you can clear your mind.
Once the drugs are completely out of your loved one’s system, they might start thinking about sobriety a little bit differently. They will still experience cravings, however, they will not be feeling sick without their drug of choice anymore. This might allow them the headspace they need to decide it’s time to make a change.
2. Witnessing Other Sober People
When your loved one is in a residential rehab program, they will be surrounded by other sober people. Some of those people will only have a few days sober, while others might be reaching 3 months. Being around other people experiencing sobriety will help your loved one see that it is possible to live a fulfilling and happy life without drugs and alcohol.
3. Addressing Underlying Causes in Therapy
Your loved one might be resistant to sobriety because they have underlying trauma or mental illness that they were self-medicating with drugs and alcohol. Because they do not have healthy coping mechanisms, the only way they know how to deal with their feelings is by numbing them with substances.
When your loved one attends rehab, they will be in both individual and group therapy. During individual therapy, your loved one will be able to open up about the trauma they have experienced. Their therapist will help them healthily process these memories, allowing them to move on and recover.
In group counseling, your loved one will work with their peers to develop positive coping mechanisms that can help them deal with trauma or mental illness. They will also see their peers thriving from being in therapy, allowing them to understand that it does work if you stick with it.
4. Separation From Outside Triggers
Sometimes, addiction thrives because someone is stuck in a certain type of environment. If your loved one is living with other people who abuse substances, it might be difficult for them to imagine a life without it.
Being in a residential treatment program will physically separate them from people, places, and things that caused them to believe substance abuse was normal. They will experience the benefits of sobriety in a controlled and safe environment.
5. Family and Peer Support
Lastly, addiction treatment programs allow family members to participate in their loved one’s recovery. There are family therapy groups where you can heal your relationship with your loved one and learn how to become a strong support system for them.
Experiencing family and peer support will help your loved one feel less alone. Getting sober can be scary, but when you have support from people you love it can feel a little easier to achieve.
Get Connected to a Top-Rated Drug and Alcohol Rehab Center
If your loved one suffers from addiction, it’s time to take a look at treatment options. The Mandala Healing Center offers residential treatment, individualized treatment plans, and evidence-based behavioral therapies. In other words, our program will provide your loved one with all of the tools and support they need to recover.
Contact us today for more information on how to get started.
References:
- The National Council for Mental Wellbeing: More than 4 in 10 U.S. Adults Who Needed Substance Use and Mental Health Care Did Not Get Treatment
- The National Library of Medicine (NLM): A Study of Reasons for not Seeking Treatment for Substance Abuse in Community
