My Spouse Needs Help With Drug Addiction
My Spouse Needs Help With Drug Addiction
It can be challenging to live with a spouse who needs help with drug addiction. He or she may exhibit unpredictable mood swings, lie about actions or activities, become withdrawn and depressed, or make poor financial decisions that may put you and your family at risk. If you are married to someone addicted to drugs, it’s common to feel anger, frustration, and emotional pain.
Having a spouse with a drug addiction is an overwhelming experience, however, with help from Recovery Centers of America, drug addiction treatment is more viable and effective than ever before. Our evidence-based treatments are specifically catered to help your spouse receive the immediate care and life-long coping skills they need to best treat their disease and lead a better life. In addition to the best clinical care, RCA offers extensive family therapy and family education programs so that you can better understand addiction, the rehabilitation process, and help support your spouse in his or her long-term drug addiction recovery.
If you have a spouse that needs help with drug addiction, you’re not alone. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), the use of illicit drugs continues to rise. Data from a 2013 study shows that over 24.6 million Americans age 12 and older used some type of drug in the calendar year. That represents 9.4 percent of the U.S. population.
Commonly asked questions:
- How do I know if my spouse really needs drug rehabilitation treatment?
- How can I talk to my spouse about going into drug rehabilitation treatment?
- How long will my spouse’s drug rehabilitation take?
- Can I visit my spouse while he or she is receiving drug treatment?
- Can my spouse die from detoxification or rehabilitation treatments?
- Will insurance cover my spouse’s drug rehabilitation treatment?
- How will my family pay bills while my spouse is away?
- Will my spouse lose his or her job for seeking out drug treatment?
- Will my spouse go to jail after seeking drug rehabilitation treatment?
How do I know if my spouse really needs drug rehabilitation treatment?
At the first sign of drug use, you should have a direct conversation with your spouse. These conversations can be difficult, so be sure to reference some of Recovery Centers of America’s free resources to help guide you in this effort. If you even suspect your spouse’s drug use is habitual or addictive, it is best to consult a licensed professional for assistance. Any delay in getting admitted into drug rehabilitation treatment could compound the addiction and the consequences associated with it. These consequences might even include death. It is imperative to take any suspicion of drug addiction seriously and start the process of getting your spouse treatment.
If your spouse has demonstrated any of the signs or symptoms of addiction, the fastest and most effective way to treat that addiction is through inpatient rehabilitation. The team of certified interventionists at Recovery Centers of America will help you set up and run an intervention, guide your spouse into a treatment facility, and give your family the tools to support long-term recovery.
If you are still unclear if your spouse really needs drug rehabilitation, please call us at 866-501-9686 and we’ll listen to the details of your specific situation and assist you in determining the most appropriate next-steps.
How can I talk to my spouse about going into drug rehabilitation treatment?
Family members and friends are influential in getting loved ones to enter into drug addiction treatment. According to the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, 90 percent of people who receive an intervention enter into addiction treatment. One way to approach your spouse is to work with one of RCA’s professional interventionists, who will organize an intervention free of charge for you and your family.
Interventionists will help you pick a meeting place for the intervention, gather a caring group of friends and family, and open the lines of communication between you and your spouse. If your spouse needs help with drug addiction, and you don’t know how to start a conversation about treatment, the professional intervention team at Recovery Centers of America can help.
How long will my spouse’s drug rehabilitation take?
Following your spouse’s detoxification and stabilization period, recommended drug rehabilitation requires approximately 30 days of inpatient treatment at a Recovery Centers of America facility followed by 60 days of outpatient care. NIDA states that a minimum of three months of treatment is needed for addicted individuals to stop drug use.
Recovery is a life-long journey that requires constant management and support. During your spouse’s first 90 days of treatment, RCA will provide the foundation required to stop drug use and start on the path to recovery, but continued family support is an essential part of long-term rehabilitation.
Can I visit my spouse while he or she is receiving drug treatment?
During the initial drug detox period, which lasts between 4-7 days, you will only be able to contact your spouse with a counselor present to ensure your husband or wife stays on track and remains focused on getting well.
At RCA, we offer a family-friendly environment and encourage family members to be on site at our treatment facilities to meet with a family therapist and participate in family education sessions. During your spouse’s inpatient treatment, you will be allowed to visit during specific visitation hours and are strongly encouraged to participate in family counseling sessions with your spouse while he or she is in treatment.
Can my spouse die from detoxification or rehabilitation treatments?
If performed under the supervision of medical professionals, drug detoxification is a safe and effective procedure where drugs are completely removed from a patient’s body. Drug detoxification is one of the first steps your spouse will take during treatment, and RCA employs masters-level clinicians and medical practitioners who supervise the process and ensure the treatment plan meets your spouse’s physical and psychological needs. The full detoxification process takes approximately 4-7 days to complete, and patients are under 24-hour supervision the whole time to ensure safety.
Unmedicated detoxification from alcohol or a class of drugs known as benzodiazepines can cause seizures and other health complications that may result in death, so it is vital that detoxification from drugs and alcohol is conducted under the care of medical professionals. Detoxing from any substance without professional help is dangerous and often ineffective at breaking the chain of addiction.
Will insurance cover my spouse’s drug rehabilitation treatment?
We are in-network with most insurance providers, and many insurance plans have a provision for drug treatment. However, the amount of coverage and the costs associated with copays and premiums will vary from plan to plan. Our financial counselors will provide assistance understanding your insurance policy so that you and your spouse have a clear understanding of what is covered and what is not. Financial issues should never be an impediment to drug rehabilitation treatment, so RCA offers financial assistance programs and specialized scholarships that make drug treatment as affordable as possible, whether you have insurance or not.
How will my family pay bills while my spouse is away?
Among the most common reasons a spouse will refuse rehabilitation is on the basis that it would present financial hardships for his or her family. While this is certainly an understandable consideration, financial problems should never impede your spouse getting help with a drug addiction. Every patient who undergoes treatment at RCA has access to professional financial counselors who will help you and your family understand what is covered by your health insurance plan and address other financial concerns that you may have. In addition to being in-network with most insurance providers, RCA offers families flexible payment plans, financial assistance programs, and scholarships that can help your family cover costs and pay bills while your spouse is undergoing drug treatment.
Will my spouse lose his or her job for seeking out drug treatment?
Provided your spouse is voluntarily seeking treatment and is not facing disciplinary or legal problems prior to entering treatment, your spouse’s job should not be compromised while receiving inpatient drug rehabilitation treatment. Employers can terminate someone’s employment if drug and substance abuse inhibits a person’s ability to perform his or her job duties or is in direct violation of a company’s policies. Otherwise, under the American With Disabilities Act (ADA), an employer cannot fire your spouse for undergoing drug addiction treatment. Individuals who need to take time off work for drug addiction treatment are also protected under the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), which entitles eligible employees to 12 weeks of unpaid time off for specified family and medical reasons including drug rehabilitation treatment.
Recovery Centers of America staff can work directly with your spouse and his or her employer to facilitate ongoing communications and ensure a successful return to work. If your spouse does not want RCA staff members directly in contact with his or her employer, the request will be honored, and your spouse’s privacy will be protected. We’re fully committed to protecting your husband or wife’s privacy and follow strict HIPPA guidelines in regard to sharing information about treatment.
Will my spouse go to jail after seeking drug rehabilitation treatment?
If your spouse needs help with drug addiction, he or she will not go to jail as a direct result of rehabilitation treatment. RCA follows HIPPA guidelines and will not disclose your spouse’s participation in drug treatment to law enforcement officials or any third party without consent.
If your spouse was convicted of a non-violent, drug-related offense prior to entering treatment, the case may be evaluated by a drug court following an arrest. Drug courts will assess an individual’s needs and risks and will often recommend a drug treatment program instead of prison time. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, it is more cost-effective for state and federal governments to mandate drug treatment over incarceration.
