Getting someone you love to enter addiction treatment is often difficult. You may experience several stages of resistance. First, they don’t acknowledge the problem. Then, they may acknowledge they have a problem but they can take care of it on their own. After these two hurdles have been cleared, they may resort to practical objections. Here are some common excuses and how to handle them.
Now’s not a good time.
It’s never a good time to take a month or more out of your life and address your substance use issues. There’s always something going on–a vacation coming up, a lot going on at work, family obligations, and so on. No matter what, there will always be a reason why it’s a bad time. Since there never will be a good time to start treatment, the only thing to do is just to start. Give yourself enough time to delegate your responsibilities and tie up loose ends, then make a firm commitment to enter treatment.
I’ll lose my job.
It’s understandable that someone would be reluctant to take time off work to get addiction treatment. It may lead to lost income and lost career opportunities, not to mention putting on hold whatever you happen to be working on at the moment. People often fear being fired for taking so much time off. The good news is that the Family Medical Leave Act protects your job in case of long illness, including getting treatment for addiction. If you have been struggling with addiction, taking that time to get treatment is usually your best move. Your job is protected if you actively seek treatment, but if your work declines because of substance use or you’re caught with drugs in your system in a zero-tolerance workplace, you enjoy no such protection.
Someone has to take care of my kids.
Parents are often reluctant to leave their kids for a long time. This is especially true of single parents who have to do everything. Most of the time, it’s possible to find someone you trust to watch your kids. Your parents or other family members will likely accept the responsibility, even if they aren’t inclined to do you other favors. If there’s absolutely no one who can do it, consider looking into intensive outpatient programs, or IOPs, which allow you to live at home while you go through treatment.
I can’t afford it.
This excuse is somewhat ironic, considering how much it can cost to feed a cocaine or heroin addiction. Still, those addictions are typically fed in increments of 10 or 100 dollars, whereas the price of treatment can be a lot to swallow all at once. However, most people can find a way to pay for treatment. Often, some or all of inpatient treatment is covered by insurance. If you don’t have insurance, there are often state or federal programs that can cover some of the cost. With the opioid epidemic constantly in the headlines, these forms of assistance will only get more generous. Treatment centers have people who will help you find a way to pay for treatment, so don’t assume you can’t afford it until you call and talk to someone.
If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction or mental illness, we can help. Recovery Ways is a premier drug and alcohol addiction treatment facility located in Salt Lake City, Utah. We have the resources to effectively treat a dual diagnosis. Our mission is to provide the most cost-effective, accessible substance abuse treatment to as many people as possible. Request information online or call us today at 1-888-986-7848.
