“I Don’t Have a Problem”
Three Tactics to Deal with an Addict in Denial
Dealing with an addict can be hard enough without them also claiming they are not an addict. Here is a list of things to help you deal with an addict who is in denial.
1) Cut them off financially.
This works obviously only if the addict is financially dependent on you. Tell them they won’t be getting money from you anymore. If they live with you, you can have them leave your house and find another place to live. This can force a person struggling with an addiction to seek help. Keep a few things in mind if you do this. First, this is just to get them into drug treatment, not to push them away forever. Second, be careful about them running to a drug buddy to stay with as this solution, although it would end eventually, it could cause complications.
2) Confront the addict as a group.
Get family members and friends who want to confront them together. Sometimes, the added pressure of how many people know you have a problem will bring it home to a drug addict that they are an addict and need help. As an added note, don’t bring anyone who uses drugs to confront them.
3) Get law enforcement involved.
This may be harsh and can result in the addict having a criminal record. It is up to you to decide whether this level of intervention is necessary as while they may be saddled with a criminal record for the rest of their life, it is better than being dead. Involving law enforcement is sometimes a last resort to get someone into addiction treatment. The only way someone can be “forced” is by being given a court order for rehab. If a person already has a legal situation from charges committed while they were under the influence, you or their legal counsel may be able to use that as a leverage for treatment. While leverage can be useful tool, it is important the addict have a personal desire to get treatment as until a personal goal of sobriety occurs, the person will not benefit from treatment. It does sometimes occur that someone is ordered to drug treatment and then while in treatment, they set their goal on sobriety.
Keep all three of these in mind when dealing with getting an addict to seek help for their addiction. If you need more help handling your loved one, you can call us today for professional assistance.
