It’s hard enough to be the one going through an addiction to drugs or alcohol. However, when you are the parent of a child who is struggling with addiction, life can be simply agonizing. We all know that in order for a person to get clean, they must be the one to want to get help. You can’t force your son to try rehab, no matter how much you beg and plead. They have to be willing to make the change themselves.
Luckily, there are still some things you can do to convince your son to at least talk to a counselor at a drug rehab in Ohio. We’ve put together some helpful steps that you can follow when your son needs help.
1. First, learn about the addiction yourself
You can’t help someone if you have no idea what you are dealing with. Before you try to convince your child of anything, learn everything you can about the disease of addiction. You’ll find plenty of literature online that will be helpful, and your doctor can point you in the right direction to find help. Find local support groups for parents of addicts. Talk to others who are going through the same thing as you are. You may even want to consider therapy for yourself. If you are going to be of any help to your child, then you will have to be as sane and relaxed as possible. It’s stressful for you to deal with an addicted child, so don’t feel guilty about taking time for your own well-being.
2. Don’t blame your son for his disease
It may be difficult to follow, but don’t blame your son for his drug addiction. Being close to him means that you have also dealt with the consequences of his actions, from emotional abuse and manipulation to stolen money to the embarrassment he may have caused from his actions. However, your son doesn’t need to be shamed for the things he did in the past. Shaming and blaming him will only push him further away. Instead, set aside your personal feelings for the situation and focus on getting them the help they need. There will come a time, perhaps during family therapy sessions, where you can talk about how his actions have affected you. For now, set aside the hurt and resentment and focus on the future.
3. Be supportive but don’t enable him
The more you enable your son through his addiction, the longer it will take for him to talk to a counselor. Be loving and supportive of him, but don’t give in to any demands. He may beg and plead for money or a place to stay (if he isn’t living with you), but giving in will not help him in the end. Make sure he knows that you will be supportive while he is in rehab but that you cannot stand by and watch him destroy his life with drugs.
4. Schedule an intervention
Your son may not 100% realize just how much his addiction is affecting the family. It’s easy to turn a blind eye on the people around you when your addiction is at its worse. Holding an intervention to convince him to talk to a counselor is one of the best steps you can take. Gather up their entire circle- siblings, extended family members, friends, and co-workers. Everyone can take turns talking to your son. When he sees how his actions are affecting the people around him, he may be more motivated to talk to a counselor.
5. Do not harass or beg
It’s easy to beg and plead for a loved one, especially a child, to go into rehab. However, this is the worst course of action for you to take. At this point, repeated begging will only fall on deaf ears. They will get tired of hearing the same thing from you and will refuse to listen. When you do talk to your son about rehab, it has to come from a calm, collected viewpoint.
Talking to a Counselor Today
Once your son is ready to talk to a counselor about his drug addiction, we can help. Our qualified staff of doctors, nurses, and therapists are standing by to take over. Even if your son simply wants to talk about his options, we are here. We won’t push your son into rehab; instead, we will spell out his options and how we can provide the treatment he so desperately needs.
Call today or walk in and talk to a qualified counselor. You can reach us at 123-456-7890.