Treatment is a sensitive time of growth and healing. When a loved one goes to treatment, it is important to reduce feelings of isolation and remind them that even treatment, they are still treasured members of your life.
Make Time To Spend Time Together
If the treatment center has visiting hours, schedule time to visit and spend time together with your friend or family member. You don’t have to talk about treatment, what they’re going through, or how hard it is, unless they want to. You can bring games, snacks, activities, and spend happy moments together. Showing up is a powerful way to demonstrate support. Looking past treatment center walls and focusing on your loved one, you validate their existence and remind them that they are unconditionally loved.
Check In With Them, Without Being Inquisitive
You don’t have to call and ask how they are doing every single day. With individual, group, and topic specific therapy groups, your loved one will be doing plenty of checking in. It’s important to ask how things are going, how they are doing, or what new things they are learning. Your loved one needs to know they have a support of safety and understanding in the people they trust the most. It’s okay for your loved one to have difficult times or bad days. Support them by reminding them of their strength, courage, and bravery.
Send Them Care Packages
Everything your loved one receives in treatment will have to be checked by a trained staff member, to ensure there are no harmful substances or paraphernalia. Your treatment center will likely provide a guideline of what you can and cannot send, for example, most treatment centers do not allow the use of normal razors. Art activities, comfortable clothes, messages from home, phone cards, and inspirational cards can be special gifts and daily reminders.
Be Part Of Their Recovery
Friends and family are always invited to be part of the recovery process. Learn about the diagnoses your loved one has been given and what it takes to treat that specific issue. Today, the internet is full of resources for mental health research, treatment, and recovery. Blogs written by people in recovery, currently suffering, or who are the friends/family of those with mental health can be inspiring, educational, and informative for supporting your loved one.
Cottonwood Tucson invites everyone to be part of the healing process. Our family program stands out from most treatment centers with five full days of therapy, learning, activities, and healing. Providing an environment of safety and understanding, our addiction rehab and behavioral health treatment programs offer hope and healing. For more information, call us today by dialing (888) 727-0441.
