Drug Interventions Blog

Parents with drug-abusing children often ask themselves, "How long should we wait finding a rehab program?"

The answer is simple. Not long.

If you see signs of drug or alcohol abuse, do not wait. Find out what is going on and do not expect that your son or daughter will not need help to get through the addiction. Assume they will need rehab, and find a good drug rehab program. Have it ready for your son or daughter to go into right away for when things (and they most assuredly will) go bad.

Most assuredly your son or daughter will try to tell you they can do it on their own and that they don’t need help. The chances of this are slim to none.

Remember that drugs and alcohol change a person's personality very rapidly. You can not trust someone who is using drugs or alcohol habitually. Take control of the situation--their life could depend on it. Remember once they agree to get help than make sure they are being escorted into a drug rehab center.

Through my personal experiences I have come to a conclusion about short-term vs long-term drug rehab which I feel must be shared so others do not waste time like I did.

My family spent countless hours and dollars on short-term drug rehab programs for my brother’s heroin addiction. We flew him to Mexico to the most expensive and luxurious 30-day program we could find. We tried the free, government-funded programs. We tried both extremes and everything in between before realizing: he needs more time.

How long does it take to completely change your way of life when you have become dependent on a substance(s) to get you through the day? Ask any addict who attended a 30 day inpatient drug rehab? It’s possible, but not common. Many try, many fail.

We found an individualized program in Oklahoma which he was at for 4-6 months. He successfully completed it and has been sober now for 7 years.

I hope this helps you in your search for an effective drug rehab program.