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If you are struggling with addiction, you are not alone. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), 48.5 million people suffered from a substance use disorder in 2023.[1]
The best way to overcome alcohol or drug addiction is by attending an addiction treatment program. If you have children, you might be hesitant to drop everything and enter a treatment facility. While being away from them will be difficult, achieving long-term recovery is what is best for them in the long run.
If you are thinking about entering an addiction treatment center, you might be wondering how to tell your children. You want to make sure they feel safe and supported and understand why you need to do this for yourself and the family. Talking about addiction with your kids can be hard, but there are ways to make the conversation run smoothly for everyone.
When explaining addiction treatment to your kids, you should be open and honest. While the specifics of the discussion might change depending on whether you have young or older children, you should always explain how their routine will change, how rehab works, and how they will keep in touch with you. It is also important that you get them extra support from family members and mental health professionals.
In this article, you will learn:
- How to tell your kids about rehab
- How the discussion about addiction treatment should change based on your child’s age
- The importance of getting your child extra support
How to Tell Your Kids About Addiction Treatment
When you are entering an addiction treatment program, you’ll have to find a way to break the news to your kids. While teenagers might have an idea of what is going on already, young children might need things broken down a little bit more.
Tips for telling your kids you are going to rehab include:
Adjust the Conversation Based On Age
First, you need to tailor the conversation based on what is age-appropriate.
Toddlers will not understand that something is wrong and definitely won’t know what addiction is. If you are explaining that you are going to rehab for a toddler, you should consider saying something like, “Mommy/daddy is sick and needs to get better. I will be back when I am all better and we will do something fun together.”
Elementary-aged children might have surmised that something is wrong, but they probably do not understand what you are going through. You could ask open-ended questions about whether they’ve noticed that something has been going on with you. After that, explain to them the basics of what addiction treatment is and how rehab will help you learn how to stop using drugs for good.
Teenagers will probably know you are struggling with addiction, even if you’ve done your best to keep your substance abuse away from them. You should explain to them how addiction develops, that it is a disease that can be overcome, and rehab will give you the tools you need to recover.
Talk About How Their Routine Will Change
First, you should explain to your kids how long you will be gone. If you are doing a 30-day treatment program, let them know that you will be receiving treatment for a month. Having a timeline will allow them to conceptualize what life will be like for the next few weeks.
No matter what age your child is, having a routine makes them feel safe. Because going to treatment will change their routine, you need to make them aware of the changes they will experience.
Some of the routine changes you should explain include:
- Who will be caring for them while you’re in rehab
- Where they will be living while you are away
- How they will get to and from school, sports events, or friend’s houses
Educate Them on How Rehab Works
If your child is not familiar with addiction treatment, knowing how it works will ease any fears they have about you being away from them. In an age-appropriate manner, explain the steps of rehab to your child.
Younger children might only need to know that you are going to a hospital and will receive treatments that will make you feel better. You might need to reassure them that you will not be experiencing any pain or undergoing any serious surgeries.
Older children might want to know more in-depth details about addiction treatment. They might want to see pictures of the facility, know where you will be sleeping, and what you will be eating. For teenagers, you should allow them to ask questions about what types of treatment and therapies you will be undergoing to recover.
Explain How They Will Communicate With You
Before having the conversation with your kids, you need to learn about the rehab’s policies for phone calls, visitors, and day passes. Your children are going to want to know how to get in contact with you while you are away.
If your facility allows you to use your phone, explain to your kids that you can talk each day. Most programs have special visitation days, so you can let your kids come and see you while you are completing treatment.
Lastly, some rehab facilities provide day passes that let you go and see family off of the property. If your program allows this, explain to your kid that you will eventually get a day pass and take them out for lunch.
Find Them Extra Support
You should also find your child extra support while you are gone. Knowing that a parent is dealing with substance abuse can take a toll on a kid’s mental health. They might need extra support from family members or a mental health professional.
There are also support groups for children of recovering addicts and alcoholics. For example, your teenager could attend meetings with a program called Ala-Teen. These meetings connect teenagers with peers who are going through similar situations with their parents.
Get Connected to a Top-Rated Drug and Alcohol Rehab Center
If you are dealing with addiction, it’s time to get professional help. At the Mandala Healing Center, we provide individualized and evidence-based treatments for substance use disorders. We can also guide you through the process of explaining to your children that you are going to receive care for addiction.
Contact us today for more information on how our drug and alcohol addiction treatment center works.
References:
- The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA): Highlights for the 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health
