Can You Force Someone Into Rehab: How to Help Someone
It can be devastating to watch a friend or loved one destroy their life by using drugs or alcohol. If you know someone who has a drug or alcohol problem, you may be asking yourself a variety of questions: Can you force someone into rehab? How does rehab help? What about the job? By answering these questions, hopefully you will be able to help someone receive the treatment they need.
Laws prevent someone from physically restraining another individual. Therefore, someone cannot be dragged into a rehab center. However, if they are suicidal or violent they can be hospitalized against their will, but they may not receive the addiction therapy they need. A minor child can be involuntarily enrolled into rehab by the parents or adult guardian. For an adult addict, the one course of action is to stage an intervention. This is where the friends or family members, along with a treatment counselor approach the individual. This straightforward tactic forces the addict to acknowledge his or her addiction. The hope is that the individual will volunteer for a treatment program.
But what does a drug recovery program consist of? There are several treatment programs available; however they all consist of some of the same components. Generally the first step after admitting there is a problem is to go through detoxification. Some programs use medication to help with withdrawal systems until the drug is gone from the system. After that a form of behavioral therapy is introduced to guide the individual through the recovery. This can be accomplished using cognitive therapy or group or family therapy. This gives the addict hope that they can succeed without the drug they are so dependent on. In a quality treatment program, individuals will be examined for medical or mental health issues. This is necessary as the majority of drug addicts also suffer from mental health issues. Addressing any mental health concerns can resolve the underlying cause of the addiction. These are just some of the programs available at a treatment center.
So by now, you might be ready to take the step to receive help for yourself or a loved one, but what about one’s job? Can you be fired while in rehab? Drug use is grounds for dismissal in a large number of companies and corporations throughout the world. If an employee is positive on a drug test they can be immediately terminated, even if the employee did not use drugs while on duty. Whether there is a written policy on drug use or not for your place of employment, speak with the Human Resources Department. If one is not available speak to the manager or business owner. Many employers are understanding and will grant a leave of absence for drug or alcohol treatment. The time away from your job will be unpaid, but they can keep you on. This way you will still have a position once the program has been completed.
Drug addiction is never an easy topic to discuss. While you may not be able to force someone into rehab, staging an intervention can encourage someone to enter rehab. Explaining that they will receive a variety of therapy to turn their life around can provide the hope they need to seek treatment. While most employers are sympathetic to treatment plans, let them speak with their employer to ensure they will have a place of employment once they have successfully completed the program. Armed with this knowledge, hopefully you can save the life of your loved one or friend.
Getting my sister into rehab took a lot of convincing because she thought it was normal partying but it was because she was really not over her boyfriend and kept needing to drown out her problems. She wasn’t there for 30 days, it was like 25 I think.
I really need help my live in girlfriend is using, all the signs of crack use is there and i have even got proof before but she flat out denize it, she is a very angry and uncuntrolable person to live with and threatens to say false and horible things about me if i put a restraining order on her or turn her in, and it seems like the cops don’t care about drug addicts in my town because i have told them before and they have not done anything,,, please please help me get her off of drugs
My fiance decided when I left for florida this summer that he would go back to doing drugs. When I finally confronted him about it he decided that he would rather have the drugs then to have a relationship with me. I have already talked with his family about the situation and we all agree that he needs rehab but we dont know how to go through with it.. any help is greatly appreciated…
Hey Robert, you should consider moving to a different state where there is a nice detox place and rehab center, and you should go to “NAR-ANON” meetings so that you can share and listen to all the stories of people who have addicts in their life and what they did to help them, it’s EXTREMELY helpful!
And Ashly same to you, go to those meetings and find a professional to stage an intervention.
I am desperate need of help. I have a brother who is 3 1/2 years older then I am. He has been on drugs since he was 14. He has been in and out of jail and has even tried to commit suicide. I called the police when he did that and they took him to the hospital and he ended up getting stitches in his arm. The hospital then released him due to them not thinking he was suicidal. He is now addicted to Oxycotin and Vicodin. I have asked him to get help and go to a rehab and he flat out refuses. Says he doesn’t have a problem. He has lost every job he has ever had because he “thinks” he cant function without these drugs. He goes to one Dr. and gets a prescription and then a few days later he will go to another Dr. for the same thing. He has been hurting the people who care about him most for long enough. I’m afraid of losing my “big” brother to an overdose or suicide. Any suggestions on what I can do to possibly get him to realize he has a problem and needs help?
i really need help with my daughter she is 27 and has two kids ..she walk the street day and night with my 3 years granddaughter ..she is always drunk and high ..when i ask please don’t take the baby with you ..she say it her child ..please could someone please help me
My husband & I started using drugs about 6 mos, recently he got into trouble with law again. Now he may go 2 prison again. I want
He to get help bu he says ” I don’t have a problem.” What do I do?
I have a son that has been doing meth off & on. How do we go about getting him into rehab? He does ok for a couple of weeks then he messes up. All he ones he considers his friends have issues but he doesn’t listen.
I need to get some help for my boyfriend’s brother, he is out of control. His ex-wife is the one who caused his alcohol abuse to spiral out of control. He is a perfectly fine person when he is sober, but he is a monster when drunk. The other night, he was wrestling my boyfriend and trying to strangle him. I got between them and he threw my and wrestled me. He picked up an armchair and threw it,broke crystal glasses, threw a dining chair at the chandelier and broke it, and raised a knife at me. I ran into the garage and slammed the door and heard the knife hitting the door. His whole family is terrified of him and we all moved out of his Mom’s house because of him. His family loves him, but they don’t do anything about his addiction. I believe we should have an intervention, and send his ass to rehab, before he kills himself…or somebody else. He has been to the hospital several times for drinking problems, there are problems with his pancreas. He just got out of the hospital and was clean for almost two weeks. He drank one beer and never stopped drinking since. He drinks from morning until night. I need help figuring out what to do, because I care immensely about this family and want this man to have a good relationship with his nieces and nephews, who I see more than him, and his two sons, who he barely sees and they live with their crazy bitch of a mother. If he was sober, he could have the kids more. And the whole family would be better off. Especially my boyfriend’s brother.
Nar-Anon is a great support group for those affected by someone’s drug addiction. Not only will you get support but you can also gain knowledge on what to do. Find a meeting in your area today.
Also, to the one that has a daughter that walks the streets with her kids — hopefully she can be reported to family services and they can step in and take the children to a safe place.
My uncle is 52 years old and is addicted to prescription drugs and alcohol and has battled addiction for many years. I am 25 years old and caring for him and my father who is dying from COPD. I’m running out of options and he is taking time away from caring for my father to constantly watch him and keep him from finding something to get drunk or high off of. He refuses to go to rehab and I don’t know what I’m going to do.