A first step in understanding how to help a loved one seeking early exit from rehab is awareness of why.
In the 21st century, researchers and addiction specialists have devised a variety of treatments for people affected by serious substance problems. When tailored to the needs of drug and alcohol program participants, these treatments are proven, essential steps in the establishment of short-term sobriety and long-term abstinence[i].
Despite this fact, a significant number of people going through substance rehab want to come home early. Family, friends and loved ones can offer important support if they understand the reasons why this type of early exit is not advised.
A first step in understanding how to help a loved one seeking early exit from rehab is awareness of why clients enrolled in a substance abuse treatment[ii] program want to leave. Perhaps the main reason for wanting to leave is a desire to avoid going through the unpleasant symptoms associated with withdrawing from drugs or alcohol. This desire often makes perfect sense to the person wanting to avoid potentially extreme forms of mental and/or physical discomfort.
In some cases, people enrolled in treatment want to leave early because they have successfully gone through the withdrawal phase and stopped using drugs or alcohol. In their minds, they have achieved the objectives of program enrollment, so they don’t’ see a good reason to continue. In addition, some people seek to leave substance treatment because they have well-established support networks outside of the treatment facility. Instead of continuing to follow the guidelines of their programs, they believe they’ll do just as well with the help from family, friends or other personal contacts or resources.
Dislike for the treatment environment can also play a role in making program participants want to leave early. This dislike of their treatment program can take a variety of forms, including:
For most people, enrollment in a treatment center is one of the hardest things they will ever attempt. Addiction is a chronic brain disease, and it takes courage and determination to address the disease’s emotional and physical effects. Not all people enter treatment voluntarily, and involuntary participants may have particular problems adjusting to the drastic changes they experience.
Empathy[iii] — defined as the ability to understand other people’s experiences from their perspective, rather than one’s own — is a technique commonly used by psychotherapists to establish a connection with their clients. The presence of this kind of connection can have a significant, positive impact on successfully treating substance use disorders.
Friends and family of a loved one going through rehab can use empathy in a positive way. By seeking to understand the rehab experience from the perspective of their loved one, they can acknowledge the difficulty of the treatment process. They can also reinforce their loved one’s resolve to stick with treatment, even when it seems pointless or unpleasant. It’s important to note that the use of empathy does not include reinforcement of any negative attitudes toward program enrollment.
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A substance use relapse[iv] occurs when someone attempting to quit drugs or alcohol returns to a pattern of active use. Prevention of this situation is one of the main goals of substance treatment. Despite the many steps taken in support of this goal, relapses commonly occur. In fact, they happen often enough that addiction specialists view them as expected setbacks on the road to long-term sobriety.
Relapse poses a significant risk for people going through treatment. Before entering rehab, the typical substance user has developed substantial tolerance to the effects of the specific substance associated with their abuse/addiction symptoms. However, the withdrawal process eliminates or reduces this tolerance. When newly abstinent people return to drug or alcohol consumption during a relapse event, their bodies may not be able to cope, even when intake does not rise above previous levels. The end result is an overdose, which in turn can lead to severe injury or death.
In an organized treatment environment[v], doctors and support staff have the training needed to help people who relapse. In many cases, they can prevent overdoses from occurring and, if overdoses do occur, they have the training needed to reduce the risks for a life-threatening outcome.
An understanding of the risks of an unmonitored relapse can prove crucial to friends, family and loved ones of someone who wants to leave rehab early. To begin with, it can help reinforce the resolve to urge participants to remain in treatment. In addition, program participants who hear relapse-related information from a trusted personal source may gain an important new perspective on the need to continue the treatment process.
People who want to leave rehab early often do not announce their intentions to anyone at the treatment center including their peers, counselors or therapists. This means that friends, family and loved ones may be the only ones who know that a problem exists. Communication with the program staff can alert them to the situation. In some cases, it can also lead to important adjustments in treatment that improve the process and decrease the motivation to leave before rehab comes to an end.
