One of the hardest things a person may ever have to do is help their loved one get the life-saving addiction care and treatment that they need. The dynamics involved can be complex and can often make us question whether or not we are doing the right thing. Questions will arise like, “Am I doing the right thing?” “Is it my responsibility to get them help if they don’t want it?” “Will they resent me for it?” “What will happen to our relationship during their alcohol detox?” These are all valid questions, and the good news is they all have positive and valid answers.
Helping Get a Loved One Into Their Alcohol Detox
When it comes to helping get a loved one into alcohol detox, it is important to remember that ultimately the choice will be up to them. In recovery, if an individual is forced into any type of treatment, there is a good chance that it will not fully work. The reason for this is that a key requirement of recovery is that the individual is doing it for themselves first and foremost, otherwise, they may just be trying to please others, which can fade away quickly.
Now, that is not to say that a loved one should be allowed to display and act on their negative addictive behaviors without any consequences. It is important to set boundaries for loved ones who are struggling with addiction. These may include not letting them be in the house if they are drinking or using, not giving them any money, or not allowing them to be around their children if they are drinking or using because they are a danger to themself and others.
While these boundaries may seem harsh, there is good potential that these consequences will help a loved one see that the road they are on is only leading to a smaller and smaller life without the people they love in it. Eventually, they may be ready to “give up the fight” and head to their alcohol detox. When this happens, it is important to be ready to get them there and support them during the process.
Giving a Loved One the Needed Space During Their Alcohol Detox
Something that is often very hard for a loved one to understand is that they need to allow for space during the alcohol detox and recovery process. This can be hard because they already feel like they have lost a bit of the person to addiction, now they wonder if they are losing a part of them to recovery.
This is simply not the case. Yes, the individual who goes away for their alcohol detox and treatment will not be the same as when they get back. They will be a much happier and healthier version of themselves. A version that is no longer under the thumb of active addiction.
Sometimes space is needed for a loved one to focus solely on their issues and how they are going to better themselves so they can be better for other people. Allowing a loved one space in recovery also allows a chance for the people outside of treatment to seek help and heal.
Getting Help for Yourself and the Family During Their Detox
Most people in recovery now agree that addiction is not only a “disease” but that it is also a “family disease.” This means that the negative effects of addiction of one individual ripples out and affects everyone in their orbit, especially the family.
Because of this fact, the entire family deserves to get the type of recovery help they need. For the family, this may come from individual or family therapy sessions, or it may come from community recovery meetings such as the ones put on by Al-Anon, which is a program designed specifically to help family members heal from addiction.
Starting this process while a loved one is in alcohol detox, makes it much easier for them to come home and avoid relapse. This is because they are coming home to a safe space open to the idea of family healing.
Helping the Whole Family Heal at The Phoenix Recovery Center
Here at The Phoenix Recovery Center, we believe in helping the entire family heal. However, recovery must first start with the individual.
When one thinks of how to help someone who is detoxing, they most likely don’t consider the benefit of giving them space. Yet sometimes this is the best way to go about it. They must heal themselves before the process of healing together can ever occur.
It is important to know when to step back while a loved one is going through detox no matter how hard it may be. Often, they need to focus solely on their recovery while in detox, and unfortunately, even the best intentions can be distractions. However, this can be the best time for loved ones to seek help for themselves while their loved one is in detox. If you feel like you or a loved one is struggling with addiction and may need detox, we can help get them to where they need to be. For more information on how to manage while a loved one is in detox, call The Phoenix Recovery Center at (801) 438-3185.
