It can feel like a tricky question, no doubt. Your child is abusing drugs, alcohol, or some type of substance, and they’re doing it under your roof. You know you can’t allow it, but you can’t bear to kick them out, to cast them onto the streets where you can’t keep an eye on them and make sure they’re safe. What’s a parent to do?
In reality, both scenarios—having the child at home and having them elsewhere are equally difficult for parents. The reason so few parents bite the bullet and give their child the boot is simply because doing so requires action. The kid is already at home. As painful as it may be to live with an addict, it’s even more difficult to force an ultimatum– to tell the addict it’s your way or the highway.
Home is a place for recovering addicts, not active addicts. If your child is currently abusing drugs or alcohol, he or she shouldn’t live at home unless part of their day is spent at an outpatient recovery center of some sort. For serious addictions, they shouldn’t live at home at all; they should reside in an inpatient clinic for at least a month or two—enough time to detox and to be effectively treated.
To determine the severity of your child’s problem, don’t be afraid to utilize each and every one of your parental rights. Search your child’s room, talk to their friends, check out their computer, do whatever it takes to uncover the truth. Remember: If you suspect your child’s safety is in imminent danger, not only do you have the right to invade their privacy, but a responsibility. Whatever you believe is going on, you should discuss the matter with your child’s physician.
Getting your child into rehab is a somewhat complicated process, but for most people, the greatest hurdle is simply taking the first step. Once the whole household is on-board, a surprise intervention can be arranged. This is where the ultimatum happens: accept treatment right now or lose any and all of our support—no more money, no more housing, no more get-out-of-jail-free cards.
It may feel cold, but sometimes it’s simply necessary. The encouraging part is that this approach normally works; it’s just a matter of summoning the will to force it. Deep-down, the vast majority of addicts want to get clean.
Typically, this emotional-yet-organized outpour of thoughts and feelings is unlike anything the addicted child has experienced before. Often it’s all it takes for them to come to their senses and accept help.
Most experts would agree that, all in all, the risks of not making this difficult decision–to have an intervention–are much greater than the risk of doing it. An overdose is an overdose, whether it happens at your home or somebody else’s.
For help and guidance on getting your addicted teenager off drugs and on to a better, healthier life, contact the experts at Hired Power at 800-910-9299.
