When someone you love is dealing with addiction, hearing that they’ve decided to enter rehab can be a huge relief. Entering a treatment program can be a challenging step to make, but it is a step in the right direction. While your loved one is in rehab, day-to-day life will look very different for both of you. As the time nears for you to say goodbye, there are things you can do to help ease the transition for everyone involved.

While You’re Apart

If the person in rehab is someone you’re used to seeing on a daily basis, it can be hard to be apart, no matter how much you prepare for the moment.  Addiction treatment program lengths vary, as do the amount of contact you can expect to have. Don’t despair, but use this time wisely.

1. Eye on the prize

When times get hard, remember why your loved one is in rehab. In order to be successful in recovery, they should completely focus on their addiction treatment. This is the time when they can learn what their triggers for addiction are, and how to deal with them. Attempting to do so while surrounded by those triggers can make treatment much less effective.

2. Be patient

This may be easier said than done, but patience is a huge part of recovery, both for the addict and their loved ones. It can be frustrating to have very little contact with each other, particularly during the beginning of rehab. This, however, is a part of the process. Remind yourself that it won’t be this way forever.

3. They are not alone

If you’re picturing your loved one alone in a room, remember that it’s not an accurate image. Your friend or family member is surrounded by peers and professionals, people who can help guide them through the early stages of recovery.  One of the important aspects of addiction treatment is community and group therapy. Rehab program participants can learn from each other and discuss shared experiences, while trained professionals provide a supportive environment.

What You Can Do

While your loved one is in rehab, you don’t have to sit back and wait. There are many things you can do to help yourself, which in turn can help your loved one when they complete their program. Remember that your loved one is not the only one affected by addiction; you likely have some pain to work through as well.

1. Family therapy

Family therapy addresses the way family dynamics have been affected by addiction. You can go through therapy sessions together, as a family, with the guidance of a counselor.

2. Support groups

Did you know that there are numerous types of support groups for loved ones affected by addiction? If you’re unsure where to start, ask the addiction treatment center, who may be able to guide you. This is a way for you to find your own peers and see that you are not alone.   We offer family therapy, family counseling and special family weekends for our clients and their loved ones.

3. Increase your understanding of addiction

Addiction affects everyone differently, and it can be a very complex disease. While your loved one is learning how to recover from addiction, why not learn more about addiction yourself? This can help you to understand that it’s not a lack of willpower that drives your friend or family member to use, but something much more complicated.

A Foundation of Support

Your loved one’s recovery is a family affair, and that doesn’t strictly refer to biological relationships. Successful recovery is built on a number of foundations, but one of the strongest is support. Your loved one can thrive with your support, as well as that from those around them in and after recovery. It may be hard at the beginning, but the reward of recovery is priceless.

If you or someone you love is suffering from the effects of alcohol abuse, substance addiction or any other type of addiction, please call us today.  Our addiction treatment counselors can help you deal with physical, emotional and psychological consequences of drug and alcohol abuse.  A substance abuse treatment program is effective, safe and has helped many men reclaim their lives. Destination Hope is a full service drug, alcohol and dual diagnosis treatment facility in Florida for men suffering from substance abuse and mental health issues.