Addiction can be devastating and change the dynamics of the life of a person. To successfully battle it, major lifestyle changes are needed as well as a lot of support, in and out of rehab, for complete recovery. For many people, there is a pervasive belief that if someone goes to the best drug rehab, they will come out absolutely fine and things will go back to normal.
Unfortunately, chances of a relapse are high when family, friends and other loved ones do not take precautionary measures or do not understand how they should be supporting someone.
How To Support Them When They Are In Rehab
When a person is in the best drug rehab facility, they are usually surrounded by medical professionals who understand addiction and its treatment appropriately. However, this does not mean that they do not need support from family and friends.
Support, while they are in rehab, is necessary and can be offered in the following manner:
Understand Why Contact Is Limited
During the first few days or weeks of rehab, contact with the outside world, including friends and immediate family may be restricted completely. This is to allow the person to calm down and adjust to the routine of rehab.
In this time period, a person will also experience symptoms of withdrawal that could affect them mentally and physically. Yes, they may be resentful towards family and might even have feelings of abandonment but contact with friends and family could end up ruining the progress.
If the person constantly feels like their family is around to help them or save them, especially if they had a co-dependent attitude towards them, it could prevent the person from actively working with the professionals in the rehab.
Educate Yourself About The Condition
You might think that checking your loved one, whether they are your friends or family, into a drug treatment center might fix the problem but that is not the case. Even the best drug rehab center cannot fix the addiction of a person if their friends and family do not know how to support them and to adjust accordingly.
It is a good idea to educate yourself about what your loved one is going through, the process of recovery, and the condition that they are dealing with when they are in rehab. It can allow you to understand the process more and offer support appropriately. You can also understand what decisions medical professionals are taking and feel more at ease.
Call Them If Allowed
When you are allowed to, you can also call your loved ones in rehab. Be supportive in your conversation, try to keep things lighthearted, and give reassurances to the person when needed. This is not the time to burden a person with any concerns.
If you have worrying news, do not share it with the person, unless you absolutely need to. Instead, ask them about their progress made, how they feel, and how things are in the rehab center. Make sure that you do not blame the person or yourself in the conversation.
Send Care Packages
Care packages can also be a great way to cheer up and support the person in rehab, especially if they are in the drug treatment center for an extended period of time. Care packages should have a motivational or cheerful aspect to them to make a person feel happier and more at ease.
Good things to include in care packages can be:
- Favorite snacks
- A motivational books
- A postcard or letter of encouragement
Make sure to ask the authorities at the rehab before you send anything. They might have some guidelines, rules, and restrictions about the things that are allowed for that person. If a certain item is not allowed, please make sure to exclude it.
Additionally, all care packages may be opened and checked before they are handed to the person. This is done to ensure that the items in the packages are completely safe for use.
Visit When You Can
Drug treatment centers also allow visitations at certain hours. Make sure to visit during that time. Again, pay attention to make sure that the visit is light-hearted. Tell the person how proud you are of them for taking this brave step. Give encouragement and support and steer clear of any heavy subjects.
Additionally, remember that the visit is about the person, not you, and not about your concerns and problems. If you have any issues, bring it up with the doctors, not with the person in rehab. Do not make them feel guilty, bad, or belittle them by focusing just on yourself and the outside world.
Work With The Doctors
It is a good idea to also work with the medical professionals who are treating the person in rehab. Ask them for updates as well as advice if possible. When you have bad news, such as a death in the family or accidents, you can also ask them how you should broach the issue with the person or if you should avoid it completely.
However, remember that the medical professional is under no obligation to offer therapy or advice to you. Asking them for help is good but do not encroach upon their time unnecessarily. Additionally, take any advice given seriously and do your best to implement it.
With the help of these, you can offer support to someone going through rehab in a healthy manner. This can make the person more motivated to get better and focus on their recovery.
Support Takeaways
Support from friends and family even when a person is in the best drug rehab is necessary and needs to be provided. By paying attention to the tips mentioned here, you can easily accomplish this aspect and ensure that you are able to be there for your friends and family.
Finding the Best Rehab Center
If you are in search of the right drug treatment and rehabilitation center, get in touch with us. We offer state-of-the-art solutions and can treat a variety of addictions successfully. With our help, you and your loved one can start the journey to recovery and lead a healthier and happier life.
