One of the most frustrating experiences that loved ones note about having someone they care about addicted to drugs or alcohol is the inability to get them into treatment that works. What many of these same caring and loving people have a difficult time realizing is that there is often no amount of love and threats that can make another person enter treatment and be successful at it unless it is the addicted person’s idea. Only when that person has faced the facts of them being unable to control themselves because their drug of choice is doing it for them, can they be successful at treatment such as a men’s rehab program.
Signs That Your Loved One Might Be Ready for Treatment
Just because your loved one isn’t ready for a rehab when it is obvious to you that he needs professional services to deal with his addiction, doesn’t mean that you can’t help him realize that he is exhibiting signs that he is ready. In fact, if you notice any of the following, it is a good idea to open a dialog with him about his willingness to get the help he needs.
- He’s tried quitting on his own but failed
This is one instance that a failure can actually signal a success. Taking the step to quit on his own is a huge one. Not being successful at actually quitting is not a sign of failure. Instead, it’s a sign of strength that he not only recognizes that he has a problem but that he is willing to do something about it.
- Using is no longer fun to him
Initially, using drugs and alcohol likely provided a way for your loved one to feel good. Either they offer him an outlet for his stress, they help him manage his pain, they provide a mechanism for coping with his anxiety or some other need. If you hear him talking about how using is now longer fun or it doesn’t provide him with the thrill that it used to, it is a good sign that he’s ready for treatment.
- He suffers from chronic stress
Ironically, if your loved one began using as a way of coping with stress, being addicted to drugs and alcohol can also be a highly stressful situation to find himself in. Being able to recognize that he is stressed as the result of his usage is a huge step in the process of getting addiction treatment.
- His life is deteriorating
A person who is addicted to drugs and/or alcohol often has to spend so much time and effort seeking his next high that his life starts to deteriorate. Often, too, when he is using, your loved one likely becomes a person that even he doesn’t know or like. This person could push away his family, friends and job, putting his very existence in jeopardy. Recognizing that his life is chaotic and deteriorating because of his drug and alcohol use is often the impetus for him to enter men’s rehab or other treatment.
If you notice any of the four signs outlined above, be proactive about your loved one getting addiction treatment. Entering men’s rehab can be a life-changing event if he is ready to commit to a life free of addictive substances.
