Alcoholic In Rehab

One of the hardest parts about being an alcoholic is admitting that you need help. Unfortunately, the majority of people can’t do this on their own.

In many cases, we find that a lot of people who to professional treatment or book into a rehab program, get that final push to start from a friend or family member. This is completely normal, after all, all that matters is that the patient gets the help they need.

 

Signs Of Addiction To Look Out For

We have listed a number of the most notable signs of an addiction to look out for:

Physical problems and health issues

A friend or family member may start to notice signs of alcoholism in a person many ways, the main ones of these being:

  • Not showing as much interest in normal activities as they used to
  • The obvious one… being intoxicated more regularly
  • Starting to suffer mental health issues
  • Not being able to say no to a drink
  • Constant tiredness or illness

Of course, any of these symptoms could be explained by several other reasons, not everybody that drinks a lot is an alcoholic. However, it is important to look out if a person has a one or more of these symptoms, or generally just doesn’t seem their self.

The National Institute of Health says that a harmful drinking pattern causes major health problems such as acute pancreatitis. It is important to treat drug or alcohol addiction as quickly as possible.

Family or relationship problems

Alcoholism can affect a person in many ways but one of the worst ways is how it affects their family. Many relationships break down as family members have to watch their loved one slowly degrade the more they drink. Sometimes this can lead to legal issues if the alcoholic is acting erratically and causing problems. In this case, a court order may even be put in place to keep a person safe.

 

Can You Make A Person Go To Rehab?

If a person has been suffering from alcohol abuse for a long time, they may also have a lot of issues staying sober at first. This is where the need for professional treatment can arise.

A question that we hear a lot of the time is can you force an alcoholic into rehab? This is usually a desperate plea from a friend or a family member that has simply had enough. A long term alcoholic may have also turned to drug abuse which further complicates the situation.

Drug and alcohol addiction can be a very tricky thing to treat and a successful recovery often depends on a strict treatment program delivered at treatment centres.

Residential treatment programs are also available for patients that feel more comfortable being treated at home. Sometimes the ability to stay with loved ones during addiction treatment can aid the process more than trying to force an addict to enter rehab.

Unfortunately, currently in the United Kingdom, it isn’t possible to force an addict or alcoholic into rehab. It is important to note that for the process of addiction treatment to work, the person has to at least be partly willing to participate.

If you are worried that a person is going to harm themselves, then you do have some legal intervention options available. A person that shows serious mental health issues could be held under involuntary commitment laws. The Mental Health Act (1983) does allow for a person to be detained against their will. This is more commonly known as being sectioned.

For a person to be detained, three people have to assess and agree that it is the best option, this is more commonly used to treat mental health rather than drug or alcohol addiction.

 

Starting The Process Of Intervention

Concluding that your loved one needs an intervention is an unpleasant feeling. You may feel like you have failed in helping the person or even feel accountable for what has happened. This is not true, many people have these feelings of guilt when starting an intervention.

An intervention can prove to be a very draining process but this is where the professionals can help. When a person chooses to enter rehab, alcohol abuse can be treated in a number of ways. These can include therapy sessions that focus on addiction treatment and addressing the cause of any mental health problems, as well as group counselling sessions where the person can discuss their problems in a group setting if they feel more comfortable.

A successful recovery depends highly on the treatment program that is used – what may work for one person, may not work for another. It is important to remember, by staging an intervention, you are doing what is best for your loved one in the long term. You cannot force an addict into staying sober, the best chance that they have is through professional treatment centres dedicated to dealing with drug and alcohol addiction.

 

What Happens During An Intervention

Interventions don’t typically happen like they do in the movies. They are rarely used as a shock tactic or to take a person by surprise. Highly trained professionals will be on hand to inform the person of their best course of action. Before meeting the addict, a phone call may be arranged to ease the person into the process and the person conducting the intervention may also hold a meeting with the family to prepare them for what will happen.

The main aim of an intervention is to make the addict fully aware of how much of an impact their drug or alcohol abuse is having on not just their lives, but their loved ones too. This is commonly done with the family, the professional and the addict. A conversation is had that explains to the addict how much they are affecting their loved ones and to give them the best option to solve the problem. Once this is accepted, the majority of addicts agree to enter rehab to address their problems long term, with the ultimate aim of staying sober.

Once the person has agreed to enter rehab and start a treatment program, it is important to start this process as soon as possible to increase the chances of a successful recovery. There are multiple treatment centres across the country which can take patients on short notice.

If you need any additional advice concerning this matter then don’t hesitate to fill in our contact form or call us on +44 (0) 800 012 6006