This is a question that affects hundreds and thousands of people every day. It is usually the families of the addict who get desperate first and are at their wits end. How do we get people into rehab?
So what do they do?
The first thing they usually do is to start getting irritated and annoyed whenever the person thy love drinks too much or uses (from now on I am going to refer to drinking but this equally applies to drug addicts). This causes stress in the relationship whenever it is mentioned with the drinker either getting defensive or feeling shamed and down. It does not make for a happy family situation.
Sometimes for a period, the family and the drinker themselves can give a reason for drinking so much. A relationship has ended, a loved one has died, a job has been lost etc. Do not be fooled – this is not a reason. If it was, everyone who lost something precious and important to them would drink too much. It is just an excuse and is just using drink to avoid facing their feelings.
As things get worse and the family starts to worry about the person’s drinking, they put more pressure on them and ask them to cut down or stop. The drinker says they will, they will not do it again etc etc. They might mean it but repeatedly they fail to keep this promise and the same old pattern repeats itself.
Visit the GP
The next step is a visit to the GP. The GP might be very understanding but unless he or she is given a fully honest picture and has personal experience of addiction, they are unlikely to prescribe what is actually needed – total abstinence and ongoing psychological support. Many GPs will understand that the patient is by now depressed (probably much of it to do with the drinking) and will prescribe anti-depressants (which don’t work when combined with alcohol); some may even prescribe a home detox and refer the patient on to addiction counselling once a week.
However and unfortunately, this rarely works while the drinker is still living in the same environment in which all the drinking takes place, and while the remaining hours of the week apart from that one hour of counselling are available for more drinking to be done. And by the way, keeping a drinking diary with a view to cutting down never works for someone who is alcohol dependent – in other words an alcoholic.
So what next? Rehab?
This is where people begin to consider the more intensive help offered by a residential clinic. If the drinker will not easily be persuaded to pursue this option, then something called a family intervention can be organised in which the whole family unite to persuade the drinker that they need help and what are the difficult consequences if they do not accept this help. Seek professional guidance before embarking on what may be this ‘last throw of the dice’.
If you can persuade the addict to accept residential help and an intensive programme. There really is hope that they will never drink, use drugs or gamble again. Rehab teaches that there is a good life without alcohol, drugs or gambling. Provides the tools to live that life for those willing to finally throw in the towel on their addiction career. There are hundreds and thousands of us living proof of that!
The Haynes Clinic is a residential addiction rehab centre which offers detox and counselling for people with addictions.
Call 01462 851414 for free and confidential advice.
