How Can You Persuade Someone to Go to Rehab?

Watching someone you love struggle with addiction can be one of the most difficult things you’ll ever experience. If you have a loved one struggling with substance abuse, you’re not alone. According to the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health Data, 48.7 million people over the age of 12 in the U.S. had a substance use disorder.

Often, people with a substance addiction are resistant to the idea of getting treatment for a variety of reasons, and you can’t force them to want or seek help. However, with compassion and the right approach, you may be able to persuade them to go to rehab to get the treatment they need.

Learn

Your first step should be to learn all you can about their addiction so that you understand what they are going through. Your research should be specific to the substance they use so that you understand how it affects them and the behavior it causes. Different substances alter the brain in different ways, so understanding the specific effects of their substance of choice can help you be empathetic in spite of their negative behaviors.

You should also understand the causes of addiction. Often, people with a substance abuse disorder had another mental health disorder prior to their substance abuse and began using drugs or alcohol as a form of self-medication.

Finally, educate yourself on treatment options and how treatment works so that you can handle your loved one’s objections, fears, or misconceptions about rehab. Bridges of Hope can provide you with information and resources for treatment options.

Plan

Armed with information, you should now plan your conversation, whether you are going it alone or holding an intervention with other friends and family. Choose a time when your loved one will be sober, and a place where there will be privacy and no interruptions.

Then plan what you’re going to say to your loved one. The conversation should be centered around your concerns about their life and health, and how their addiction is also affecting you. Express your knowledge about their addiction, its dangers, and possible causes. You can say things like:

“I know you’ve had a tough time and wanted a way to deal with it. You’re not alone. Many people struggle the way you have, but you’re putting yourself in danger. I’m concerned that you’ll hurt yourself or worse.”

If you’re intervening with the help of others, be sure that you’re all on the same page about the plan and what to say.

Be Empathetic and Stay Calm

Sometimes it’s easy to get angry at someone struggling with addiction because you can clearly see that they’re hurting themselves, but remember what you learned about addiction. It’s the addiction that’s controlling their behavior, so stay calm and express your empathy. Say things like “I know how hard this is for you” or “I understand your fear”.

Speak from your heart, and make sure they know how important they are to you and that your concern comes from love.

Listen

It’s important to give your loved one room to speak and respond to what you’re saying. Don’t interrupt them or talk over them. Wait until they finish until you respond. Then you can address their objections or misconceptions based on what you’ve learned. You can tell them that you did your homework and explain what you understand about addiction and how treatment works. Stay positive in your responses and express your belief that they can recover and live a fulfilling life.

No Judgment or Labels

Your words should be about your concern for them as a human being and involve no judgment or labels. Don’t say things like “addicts always say that” or “that’s the addict in you talking”. Focus on their actions and the effects of their actions without labeling them. You can say “Your drug use is impacting your life”. And don’t be demanding by saying “you need to get help”. Instead say “I want to help you because I love you.”

Offer Options and Support

Sometimes just the process of finding a place to get treatment can be overwhelming to a person struggling with substance abuse, so having specific information about treatment options can relieve that burden. Tell them what the first step in the process is, and explain how the treatment options work. This can help to alleviate their fears.

You can also offer to participate in the process. For example, you could start by offering to participate in a call to a treatment provider like Bridges of Hope. Our team members will explain all treatment options and the steps involved.

You can even offer to attend their initial consultation with a treatment provider, and to participate in parts of the treatment process like family therapy.

Additionally, you can offer to take care of some of their responsibilities while they’re in treatment so they have fewer things to worry about and can focus on recovery.

In Closing

While you can’t force someone to seek help, you can try to persuade them to get treatment by educating yourself about addiction and approaching them with empathy and compassion. Your concern and support could be the key to getting them to take the first step toward a better, healthier life.