Coming to terms with the fact that your son or daughter has a problem with alcohol or drugs is never easy for a parent. No matter how difficult it may be though, it’s still essential that you do whatever you can to get your child the help they need. Unfortunately, this isn’t always so easy after their 18th birthday since you can’t force them to seek treatment once they’re legally an adult.
In this case, the best thing you can do is to provide love, support and encouragement in the hopes that they eventually make the right choice. However, it’s also important that you take steps to understand their addiction and the potential treatment options available as this will make it easier for you to guide them in the right direction.
Sober Living vs. Intensive Outpatient Treatment
Depending on the type and severity of the addiction, it may be first necessary to enter an inpatient detox center to begin the treatment and avoid the potential health complications of withdrawal. From there, many patients transition to a sober living facility. This is a semi-inpatient treatment center that provides a structured, clean, sober environment for the addict to continue their rehabilitation.
What is Sober Living?
Although it varies from facility to facility, generally sober living homes allow the person to continue living their normal life, i.e. going to school or work. However, in most cases the person will still live at the facility. By providing a sober, encouraging environment and counseling, these facilities can help the addict avoid falling back into their old bad habits and enabling environments. At the same time, the person still has some level of personal freedom and responsibility, which is important in teaching them how to make better personal choices for themselves.
What is Intensive Outpatient Treatment?
Intensive outpatient treatment is similar in that the addict will still receive daily counseling and treatment sessions. However, this type of treatment doesn’t necessarily require the addict live at a rehab facility. In some cases, these outpatient treatments are combined with living at a sober living home. Nonetheless, the patient could also still live on their own or with friends or family.
In many cases, intensive outpatient treatment could be the ideal choice if your child still lives at home or you can convince them to move back home. Of course, this requires that you are able to provide them with a similar sober environment and encouragement as they would receive at a sober living facility.
Both types of treatment have been shown to be incredibly successful at helping people kick their drug and alcohol habits. Recovering from an addiction is never simple, and it always takes time, hard work and plenty of love and encouragement. Therefore, the best thing you can do for your child is to be there for them and do whatever you can to get them to seek treatment—no matter how tough it may be for you or how long it may take.
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