Assure your child that you are on the road to recovery with them, that you will pay them visits in rehab, and that you will work hard to support them. Your adolescent must choose to enter rehab; if forced to do so, they are less likely to succeed.
3. Be aware that your child may have a mental illness.
Addiction frequently coexists with mental illness; nearly 8.4 million adult Americans have both a mental disorder and a habit, though most are not treated for both. Why not consult your primary care physician about the possibility that your child has an anxiety disorder, depression, or another illness?
If your doctor believes it is necessary, they will refer you to a therapist or psychiatrist. Your adolescent may attend some therapy sessions before entering a rehab program.
Remember that your adolescent will look to you for guidance when discussing therapy; speak honestly about therapy, be direct, and let your child know that it is not a secretive or shameful service but a wholesome, hopeful healthcare service.
4. Present your concern as a loving gesture.
Teenagers, remember, are intense beings even in the best of circumstances.It can be challenging to be caring and patient in the face of your child’s anger, bewilderment, sadness, and tears: remember that your child will look to you for stability in this storm and offer it to them. As previously stated, practice self-care to be prepared and calm during conversations with your adolescent.
5. Keep in mind that you are the parent.
If your child is 17 or younger, you can make them go to rehab, though this is not the best option. Teenagers and others typically benefit more from treatment when they go to rehab, though you may determine that immediate treatment is required in consultation with a family doctor.
It can be frightening for a teenager to be told that they must enter rehab, so enlist the assistance of others in speaking with your child about their situation; perhaps a favorite aunt can lend some credibility to the choice of recovery.
Someone from your chosen rehab facility may be able to speak with your child about what treatment might entail for them. Remember that early intervention in your teenager’s addiction problem is likely to benefit them.
Some parents believe their teenagers when they say they can stop using the chemical on which they have become dependent without help, but research shows that this is highly unlikely. There are reasons why your child started using drugs, and they need to understand why they do so and how they can learn other ways to live and cope with the enormous stresses of adolescence.