If you’re a parent of an addicted child, you want nothing more in the world than for your adult son or daughter to reach out and ask for help. Maybe you’ve been trying to encourage your child to take this step for weeks, months or even years. Or, maybe you were blindsided by a surprise confession. Either way, when this time comes, you’ll want to be prepared for helping your child with addiction. Stay with us through this post and we’ll show you what to do next.
Acknowledge Your Child’s Bravery
First things first. Admitting you need help for drug or alcohol addiction is one of the hardest things a person can do. If your adult child comes to you asking for help, make sure to give credit where it’s due. What makes asking for help so hard? In many cases, the answer to this question comes down to the powerful stigma surrounding addicts.
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Don’t let the unfair stigma of addiction prevent your child from getting help. Learn how you can help your loved one overcome addiction stigma:
Addiction Stigma: What It is, Why It’s Deadly and How to Help
Show Your Emotional Support
The next thing to do when your child asks for help with addiction is to make yourself available for emotional support. Simply knowing that you care about them and will be there to support them before, during and after the rehab experience can be a powerful, reassuring motivator to follow through with treatment.
Start Researching Addiction Rehab Centers Near You
Only now is it time to begin your search for a quality drug treatment program. Since your child came to you for help, it can be a good idea to search together. Not every rehab program is a good fit for every person. Based on your child’s unique situation, there could be important co-occurring conditions to consider when deciding on where to go. Some programs are better equipped to deal with these than others.
Find Out if Your Insurance Covers Drug Rehab
After you identify a few potential candidates, it’s time to start thinking about how you’ll pay for your child’s treatment program. You can start by confirming whether your insurance provider is accepted by the rehab centers you are considering. If you find a match, the next step is to verify with your provider that your specific policy covers addiction rehab.
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After your child asks for help, the next step is to figure out if your insurance policy includes addiction rehab. Here’s how to get started:
Don’t Forget to Take Care of Yourself
In some way, addiction affects everyone who is close to your child including any siblings. It can also hurt your relationship with your spouse or significant other. This is why it might be a good idea to join an addiction support group for family members of addicted loved ones. Many parents find it helpful to talk to other people who are either going through a similar situation or who have been there before you. If you’re in the Colorado area, here are some groups to look into:
Nar-Anon Family Groups – A 12-step program for families and friends of addicts
Parents of Addicted Loved Ones – Helping parent’s, families and spouses find support
The Raleigh House is Here to Help You and Your Loved One
If someone you care about is struggling with addiction, don’t wait to get help. We offer comprehensive addiction rehab in Colorado that focuses on treating the person as a whole – not just a set of symptoms. Our drug treatment program combines nutrition and exercise with both group and individual counseling led by master’s-level addiction therapists. Fill out our form, or call today.
