Anyone who has experienced the turmoil created by drug addiction, whether it is their own struggle or that of a loved one, has asked the question, “Can an addict be forced into a Rehab program?” Legally, the answer is no, provided that no other crimes have been committed, it is illegal to physically force someone to get the help that they may desperately need. But this does not leave friends and families without hope. It is called the Intervention.
This has been proven many times over to effectively getting someone to treatment, so much so that there is now a popular reality show with that same title. And families and friends need not do this alone, as there are many qualified and well trained interventionist specialists that will guide the family in the best way to get their loved one or friend into a program that will most certainly save their life. The goal of this process is to help the person struggling with the addiction, to see and feel the severity of the situation that they are currently in, the consequences of their actions, and the pain that they are putting their loved ones through.
This is often the turning point in the life of the addict, when they find that they are still loved, and that there is help for them, and they will have the support of those who love them and wish to see them get better, wish to see them keep on living. This is a wonderful opportunity not only for the addict, but for those who love them as well, as for some, they have spent many years watching the person slowly kill themselves, and have felt hopeless and helpless, and have no way of knowing just how to help. A successful intervention will guide the addict to taking responsibility for their actions, but they will know that they will not be alone through the recovery process, and through the love that they are shown, they may feel compelled to enter treatment, but not necessarily forced to do so.
