The Life or Death Decision to Get Your Loved One to Rehab

Over my many years of working in the substance abuse field with Narconon, I have often heard these words:

“My child (or spouse) is using alcohol and/or drugs, and it is causing them harm. They are failing in life, and I am afraid that they will die from this. What should I do?”

I understand from what they are telling me that they are taking the all-important first step of FACING THE PROBLEM, and I thank them for caring and for reaching out get help. I ask the concerned family member for more information, and they give me details. They tell me that they are being very heavily affected by the misery and suffering the loved one is going through. I let them know that if they do not get effective help, their loved one will end up in jail or dead. They tell me that the situation has been getting worse. I ask them if they want to change their situation, and they say yes, of course, but they don't know what to do.

We talk, and they agree that they can and will demand that the loved one get help. They DECIDE TO DEMAND THE IMPROVEMENT of their loved one, and this is the vital second step. I tell them that based on my experience, if they can insist on this happening and keep insisting, there is strong hope and possibility that the loved one can get help. And I will do everything I can to help them.

I ask if I can speak to the one who needs help. If the answer is yes and I can speak to their loved one, I find out from them what is going on, and all the details. I often find out that there has been criminal activity and secrecy connected with their alcohol and/or drug-taking. They are often delusional about it, pretending it is not really a problem and that it is nothing to worry about. I sometimes get them up to the point of willingness to change and come to rehab to make that happen. If I cannot get them to agree to rehab, even with multiple calls, and if the family cannot do so, I suggest to the family that we send one of our Narconon professional staff to work with the family and bring the loved one back with them to our Narconon residential treatment center.

The only times I have seen failures to get the loved one to rehab are when the concerned family members waver in the demand. If the demand for improvement is kept there, action continues to be taken, and the loved one stays alive, rehabilitation can occur. It is important to act quickly since failure to remedy the problem will often result in jail or death. Step 3 is to GET THEM TO REHAB.

Once the loved one is with us at Narconon, the dwindling spiral of destruction begins to unwind and changes occur. I have seen many miraculous successes from Narconon technology being applied to help the person become drug-free for good. The tools we use are the best. Getting your loved one back as the great person they really are is priceless.

—M.H., Narconon Staff