Loved Ones In Treatment , How Can I Help?

Addiction doesn’t just take a toll on the life of the person struggling with a substance use disorder. It also impacts everyone close to them. After your loved one has committed to treatment, especially in the case of Residential Treatment, you may feel helpless for their well-being or overwhelmed with your own emotions. That’s why Gateway’s team develops a personalized addiction treatment plan for each patient to accommodate them plus their support systems.

Although patients are not allowed to use their phones during treatment at Gateway, you and your loved one can communicate during phone and visiting hours at all Residential locations or opt for an Outpatient Treatment plan for after work and school hours. Gateway also offers family therapy sessions. If the individual does not wish to see you during treatment, it may be because they need time and space to focus on their recovery. Remember, they may harbor shame and regret for the past behavior influenced by their substance use disorder.

Below are some tips for coping when a loved one is in treatment:

Don’t Blame Yourself

Someone you know who abuses drugs or alcohol may blame you for addressing the problem. However, the individual may consider their behavior your problem. Even if you are correct in assessing the substance abuse problem, the person may blame you if they believe the problem is not with oneself but with everybody else. Whatever issues contributed to an individual to develop an alcohol or drug abuse problem, you are not to blame. Addiction is not something that one person can do to another.

Make Time for Yourself

To whatever extent someone else’s problem has become a part of your life, it’s still important to take care of yourself. If the situation is affecting your studies or work, make sure you communicate with the appropriate people, such as a professor or employer, so they understand your situation. Don’t feel guilty about spending time doing what you enjoy, such as hobbies or socializing with friends and family.

Seek Support

Work with Gateway to find recovery support groups for people with loved ones in treatment or recovery. If you prefer one-on-one support or would like anonymous support, consider scheduling therapy sessions.

Gateway Can Help

At Gateway, we understand that addiction is a family disease. If you need help in learning how to support loved ones in treatment, call Gateway now at 877.505.4673.

Gateway Foundation

Gateway Foundation is a recognized leader in evidence-based addiction treatment proven to get results. Our experts in Addiction Medicine—including highly educated clinical and medical professionals and expert psychiatrists and nurses—deliver care that never stops. For over 50 years, Gateway Foundation has been helping individuals and their families recover from addictions and behavioral health issues and is the only provider that covers the entire state of Illinois with 16 facilities from the Wisconsin Border to the Kentucky Border. Gateway has specific programs focusing on substance use disorders, trauma, depression, anxiety, and other co-occurring issues. We’re licensed by the state of Illinois and accredited by the Joint Commission. We are in-network with all the major commercial insurance plans. Gateway Foundation: Addiction medicine, saving lives.