Use of drugs not always means that a person is or will become addicted to them. A lot of people try different types of drugs recreationally or even abuse them for a period of time and they do not require drug rehab. According to surveys and statistics over 22 million people abused some kind of illicit drug in the year 2010 and only 4.5 million out of these were classified as drug addicts. However, another 17 million were classified as alcohol dependent. If you are not sure to which category your loved ones belong, getting help to determine it is very recommended.
Most often the best way to determine when a loved one needs rehab is to consult a medical professional. A professional will need to meet the addict and perform an assessment to know whether a person is suffering from a possible addiction. The following few questions are usually considered when determining whether a person needs to go to rehab:
- Is the individual taking any substance like alcohol, illicit drugs and medications within the past year?
- How often did he abuse a controlled substance in last three months?
- Does the use of drugs created a negative impact on the person’s social life, financial status or health?
- Have your friends and family started showing increasing concern about your drug problem?
What Can I do to help a Loved One Get Clean and Sober?
The best and possibly the only thing that a family needs to do to help a loved one stay clean and sober is to make him realize that you need to draw a line now and not take his behavior and his drug habit lightly. You need to stage an intervention and tell him in a clear tone that he needs to get help for his habit that controls him and get rid of it so as to get his life back on track. One needs to be the right mix of stern and soft with an addicted person so as to push him in the right direction of rehab and treatment. Tell the addict that you will stand by him both emotionally and financially if he decides to go for his treatment but you will cut him off financially in case he decides to continue on his path to destruction.
How Rehab Programs Help Loved Ones Get Sober
Drug addiction is not the end of life if one has decided to get rid of it. Rehab programs are specifically designed and created to help patients recover from their issues and drug problems while focusing on helping them achieve their goals as well.