Shows like 'Intervention' coerce addicts to seek help, but are alcohol and drug rehabs substantially effective if the addicts didn't decide to go on their own?
Yes, all rehabs will help addicts eventually even if they did not want to go on their own. There is always a chance that they will see what mistake they are making and that will make them want to reform.
Even if an addict was dragged into a rehab unwillingly, being in rehab may always bring about a change in his views. He may see that people like him are also trying to reform their lives and it may encourage him to stay away from his addictions too. It's always worth a try.
Posted by: danoneenoIt does not matter why they went, so long as they go, because that can be a first step towards recovery.
Some people just need that extra push to go to rehab. To say that just because a show incited them to go, that is why they will fail in the rehab, is just an excuse. The real problem is the factors of why they are using the drug in the first place. A large amount of users use it because they do not have any other form of entertainment. They do not feel comfortable in social settings, because of the drug use, so they just stay home and use.
Posted by: 5c0tJungA person's initial choice to seek treatment doesn't guarantee success, and people can find motivation through their experience and reflection during treatment they did not initiate.
It's better for a person suffering addiction to seek treatment rather than be coerced into it--morally and in terms of the likelihood of success. But it seems reductive to state categorically that a person who proactively enters treatment with good intentions will necessarily succeed at any given attempt, or that a person who begins unwillingly will always fail. Motivation is too complex and layered for such generalizations. The treatment approach, one's reflection about her condition, one's history, the support one receives--all these factors also contribute to the outcome. Yet unless a person has committed a crime or is incompetent to manage her own decisions, treatment ought to be voluntary. People have the right to come to terms with their lives in their own way and time. Making one's own decisions rather than simply outwardly conforming can actually facilitate treatment--which isn't to deny that accepting advice can also be important.
Posted by: M4I4cFeIineI believe that forcing some people into rehab can save their lives.
I have experienced having to force someone that is very close to me into a rehab center. This person is now done with that addiction and I am grateful that she is still alive. Without my force, I believe she would have died.
Posted by: dbchatI agree that if an addict does not seek help of his own free will he won't stay sober because he isn't really ready to quit.
Drug and alcohol addiction is a tricky condition. There is a psychology at work that has to run a certain course before an addict can commit to treatment. He may go into treatment because he knows that eventually it's either that, or die. But if he is being shoved into it and the decision hasn't been made after he's hit rock bottom and come to the conclusion he needs help on his own, the odds he will maintain sobriety are very slim.
Posted by: N3vinFace
I don't really think so. If you do that to someone else, even if it helps, he or she will probably resent you forever and probably relapse.
I don't think intervention is too successful. Of course, stick a TV camera on someone and everything changes. Do I think it's a good idea to do an intervention, ever? No. A person has to come to their own conclusion about needing help. Forcing someone into rehab is a very grave step to take, and anyone who does it better be prepared to lose that person's love and/or trust forever.
Posted by: PinkMychRehab is ineffective with those who don't want to change.
Alcoholics Anonymous is the founding program that started addiction rehabilitation, and the first of their famous twelve steps is that the addict must admit that they have a problem. If they are unable to do that, then they can't get off any drug, because they are still mentally drunk on the idea that their addiction is okay.
Posted by: FlakyHerb64No rehabilitation can't be effective without addicts conviction.
Rehabilitation centers and the various drugs used to treat addiction are mere facilitators. They cannot be effective unless the addict him/herself tries to overcome the issue.
Posted by: dankilberryAlcohol and drug rehabs are not effective if the addict didn't seek treatment on their own because there is no personal drive to succeed.
Shows like 'Intervention' are useful tools to help coerce addicts to seek treatment but will typically not be effective until the addict decides for themselves that treatment is necessary. Drug and alcohol addictions are as much a mental problem as they are a physical problem. If the addict does not think that his addiction is a real problem in his life then treatment will do little to treat the underlying mental addiction. Treatment is a decision that the addict must make on his own or else the process is largely ineffective.
Posted by: VampireShuRehab centers are most effective when the addicted enters on their own because it means they have admitted they have a problem.
Rehabs centers have been shown to be effective with patients who did not want to go on their own, but only in a small amount of cases. Only when the patient admits and knows that they have a problem are the rehab centers put to their full capabilities. This is mainly due to the fact that the first step in a rehabilitation center is to show the patient that they have a problem. This means the odds of recovery are much greater towards those who made the decision to enter on their own.
Posted by: BrianDjAddicts that are coerced into rehab do not have effective treatment.
An intervention may help an individual realize that they have a problem, but they are not ready to get better if they are forced to go into rehab. I think in some cases an intervention may be a good wake-up call, but rehab is not effective unless the addict is willing to admit that there is a problem and is ready to get better. Otherwise, as you can see on other shows on TV, many addicts end up in rehab again.
Posted by: EImerN4thI do not believe an addict going to rehab when they feel forced will succeed in recovery because they will not have the will to follow through.
Although I think addiction is all in your mind, it has to be a person's decision to recover and get off the drugs or alcohol or they will never succeed. One has to make the choice personally, and rehab facilities help the process through techniques and support. But, if someone does not really want to stop the drugs, then they will go back to it.
Posted by: SascM0nI do not believe forced alcohol and drug rehab centers are effective at stopping a person's addiction, if the person is not committed enough to go on their own.
When a person does not voluntarily decide to enter alcohol or drug rehab, they do not fully commit to the idea of becoming sober. Only when a person is truly and personally committed to kicking a drug or alcohol problem will a life free from addiction be obtainable. I am sure, in rare cases, a person who was not fully willing to do a rehab program comes around and does end up sober, once fully immersed in the program.
Posted by: TickoCa22One needs to have the desire for their own self.
Just what is rock bottom? It could be a lot further down for one then it is another. If the individual has not found their rock bottom, they may not be ready to quit. Defiance is a strong devil that often blinds an individual to the truth. Even if it is shoved in their face they may chose still not to look at it. I'm not a big believer in the 12 step systems, but step one (the need to admit that you have a problem) is essential to recovery. If the addict doesn't want to admit the problem, the likelihood of them doing so by force is far under the line of hope that they need to find for themselves.it fall's in line with "man's search for meaning?" The addict must find meaning for his or her own self, and chose to act upon the desire to stop what they are doing and reach for something different. It's an individual choice.
Posted by: AnonymousNi, I disagree that rehab is effective if a person didn't decide to go on their own because if they wanted to stop drug use, they would have done so or at least tried without the help of a show.
I disagree that rehab is effective for people that didn't decide to go on their own, because if they had wanted to stop they obviously would have entered rehab willingly before it took a show or rehab center being involved with their personal life. If they wanted to stop using drugs, they would have done something about it and sought treatment, not continued down the path of destruction. You have to be ready; no one else can make this type of decision for you, no matter how badly they want to help you.
Posted by: I33IessNope
You have to want to quit to be able to quit. Being forced to quit drugs wont do anything..trust me. Yeah, it might help while you are in drug rehab because one, you have no choice, two, you are around sober people, three, it's a lot easier having the support you need. But being in rehab is 110% different than being in the real world. You have way more temptations in the real world than you do while in rehab. You have the freedom to do anything you want. In rehab they say you have to change your "People, Places, and Things." How are you supposed to ignore people that live in your town? How are you supposed to change where you live? It costs money to move, not everyone has money. Things? Things can be everywhere. It could be a song, a smell, a TV show..it could be anything that leads you back to your addiction. It's not easy, and honestly..you will always have those drugs (and yes, alcohol is a drug) waiting for you. Like I said, you have to want to quit to be able to quit.
Posted by: AnonymousThe rate of recovery from forced interventions is much lower than for voluntary interventions.
The Russians tried for decades to imprison and punish alcoholics. It didn't work, for the most part. Fear was not sufficient motivation for patients to quit drinking and stay that way. Voluntary patients, however, have an interest in their recovery. They go into the situation wanting to be helped. If they want to recover, their odds are vastly improved.
Posted by: SixCristobalFrom personal experience
If you are forced into a treatment center and expected to follow the rules then whoever put you there is about to learn different. When I was fourteen, I needed help but I didn't want it. I could have done just as good maybe even better if they would have just paired me with a personal counselor, but they decided to put me in a treatment center in Portland. Even though they thought it might help, it actually made it a lot worse, for multiple reasons. They had basically decided to put me in a familiar drug use environment where I could find more dealers and more hookups on the outs. Another reason, there was so much drama and people beating people up that there was no way you could focus on yourself and your treatment. You just had to get out and do it fast before someone got mad enough to get their friends on the outs to beat you up too. So the people who are saying yes on the other side obviously haven't been through what we've been through. You can't tell it till youv'e dealt with it so...
Posted by: AnonymousNo, rehabs are not very effective if the addicts did not decide to go into rehab on their own, because without making the decision to get better, a junkie will just go straight back to whatever they are addicted to.
Drug and alcohol addiction is a mental issue, more than it is a physical one. If an addict does not make the decision to even try to get better on their own, rehab is worthless. Even if they make it through the full program, they have no one but themselves to stop them from taking drugs again, once they are out of rehab. Like they say in most support groups, the first step to getting better is admitting that you have a problem, and forcing someone into rehab skips that step.
Posted by: H_BairdPeople should be encouraged to go to rehabilitation if they have an addiction.
Whether or not someone is coerced to go into rehabilitation does not always indicate if they actually quit in the long run. If they are using drugs, they may need to get clean in order to make better decisions for themselves. Now, if they were clean at the time of the intervention and were forced to go is another matter altogether. They probably will not do so well in rehabilitation.
Posted by: Nich0HeIPfuI