According to 2017 government data, around 19.7 million adults in the US have experienced substance abuse. When not addressed immediately, drug addiction can lead to more serious health consequences — and broken relationships. This is why experts recommend these people to undergo a drug rehabilitation program. If your loved one is going through New York drug rehab or Illinois drug rehab, here’s how you can support him or her.
Get educated about drug addiction. Drug addiction is known for the adverse effects it brings to the user and the people around him or her. From the symptoms to treatment to extended consequences, you have to educate yourself about the complex matters the surround addiction. This way, you can better help your loved one recover.
Set reasonable expectations. Once you get to know more about addiction and recovery, you can set reasonable expectations for your loved one. How long will he or she need to undergo rehab? What can be done to help him or her start anew? Or when he or she experiences a relapse? When you fail to hold unreasonable expectations, dealing with a drug abuser who’s in a rehab facility can be stressful and emotionally draining. Find out more about drug rehab by visiting The Hader Clinic
Give your loved one a call. Like what the old saying goes, everybody makes a mistake. If your loved one goes astray because of drug addiction, it’s important to give him or her a helping hand — not a judging eye. While he or she’s in a rehab facility, make it a point to give him or her an encouraging call whenever possible and appropriate.
Write letters to your loved one. People in a New York drug rehab facility need help in confidence-building. While phone calls can be encouraging, there’s a certain kind of warmth that comes with receiving letters with earnestly written words. When sending letters to a loved one in rehab, you can also pair it up with a care package to make him or her extra loved.
Take part in family days. Rehab facilities host family days to provide stronger support to the recovering patient. By going through such an emotional experience, it will help the patient realize that he or she has a strong support system.
Communicate with the facility’s therapist and staff. The development of your loved one’s recovery can be best explained by the experts working in the rehab facility. This is why it’s important to always speak with the therapist and the facility’s staff members about the condition and progress of your loved one. It’s also part of their job to give you discharge instructions.
Be extra understanding. When someone within the family is in an Illinois drug rehab facility, you have to know that he or she could be going through one of the lowest points in his or her life. You have to be extra patient with him or her — while he or she’s in rehab and once the program is over. As the former addict’s family, it’s your responsibility to help them integrate back to society and start a brand-new chapter in his or her life.