Son won’t go to intensive addiction treatment?
by Teresa
My son is an opiate addict. I had an inpatient program lined up but he balked at it (work, school, son responsibilities). The director talked with him and then recommended we let him try outpatient.
He has had two intake sessions and met with the doctor today, who apparently told him he needs to go to intensive outpatient, 4 hours per day, 4 days per week, for 4 weeks. He is throwing a fit. I told him he has to make it a priority. He should try talking w/his employer, work 1-5 for 4 weeks. He insists they will never allow that.
I’m getting ready to go home and expect a long night ahead. keep repeating the same thing again and again? treatment has to be your priority. any other advice about what to say.
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Force the Issue
Your son’s substance use disorder is a brain disease which robs him of the ability to make proper choices, ability to function rationally and he is not the one who should be allowed to make the call. There has to be consequences to his action, so he will have to make the choice between having a family and a future, or the dead-end of using opiates. He suffers from a chronic disease of brain reward, motivation, memory and related circuitry. His brain has been “rewired” so he is going to fight hard to keep it that way. I would get some help from Al-Anon and formulate my plan for laying down the law and getting him into treatment. Be ready to throw him out of the house if needed. Don’t enable him. He is out of control. You are offering a gift and I hope he takes it. |