A commonly held belief is that an addict won't get clean until he or she is ready. This is true, however, nothing says you can't help the addict decide that the time has come. Rehab is a scary word for an addict. It means giving up drugs, embarking on a new way of life, and trusting others to lead the way. Sometimes it is not stubbornness that blocks the path to rehab, it is fear. Carefully choosing the time and words for this discussion improves your chances of success. 

Choose a Quiet Time

This discussion won't be easy. It will be even harder if children are running in and out, you are trying to cook dinner, and the television is blasting. Plan for a time when there will be an hour of quiet available. 

Plan Ahead

Contact several inpatient and outpatient rehabs. Ask about their programs, special services, methods and success rates. Be sure to find out about the visitor policies and whether they also provide counseling for family members and friends of the addict. Print some information from the Internet on each program to have ready to show your addict. 

Check Into Financing

Getting him or her excited about a program only to discover it is unattainable is something that must be avoided. Find out the costs, which insurances are accepted, and whether there are benevolence funds and grants to help pay for treatment. Know all of this before discussing specific rehabs with the addict. 

Listen

Present your case with love and non-accusatory tones. Explain how the addiction is impacting your life and ask him or her to go to rehab. Then, listen. Let the addict explain how he or she feels, talk about the addiction, discuss feelings about rehab and whatever else is going on. Hopefully, you will succeed and your loved one will go for help. If not, you have at least opened the door to future discussions about it.