What to Do With a Drug-Addicted Son

Drug addiction affects both the addict and his family. For those with a drug addicted son, knowing what to do to help him can be a difficult. The major factor is his age; if he is a minor, the parents have more options than if he is an adult. However there are still ways to help an adult child addicted to drugs. You simply need to know what your options are.

Sign Him Into the Hospital

• If your son is still a minor (under the age of 18), you can sign him into a hospital or clinic that offers a detoxification program. Depending on the drug or drugs he's addicted to, and how heavy his usage, detox an take from two days to two weeks. While detox is not a cure for his addiction, it is the first crucial step in his recovery; in this time frame, the drugs will leave his system and he will go through the worst part of his withdrawals.

Arrange for Rehabilitation

• This is another option for parents whose son is a minor. Before choosing a rehab center for him, consult with his doctor and ask his opinion. However, there are a plethora of live-in rehabilitation centers geared toward teens and the problems they face. Because teens face different issues than adults, the counseling and therapy used at the center also differs than in centers used for adults. He may stay at the center between 30 and 90 days, depending on how serious his drug problem is.

Stop Enabling

• If your son is an adult, you cannot legally force him to seek help for his addiction. You can, however, stop enabling him. Often, addicts will turn to family members when they need money for food or rent; sometimes they will lie for the money and use it to buy drugs with instead. Though you may feel sorry for your son, you need to tell him no when he asks for anything. Until he hits rock bottom, he won't be willing to look for the help he needs.

Schedule an Intervention

• Addicts either do not realize how severe their problem is, or are in complete denial about it. Interventions are an effective means of helping them realize how serious their problem is and that they need help for it. Scheduling an intervention for your son may be what he needs to seek rehab on his own. During the intervention, close family members will be joined by an intervention specialist who will lead the group. Your son will not know what is happening until the event begins. In a non-confrontational way, everyone takes turns telling him how they feel about his actions, his addiction, what it is doing to him, and how it affects them, among other things.

Support Him

• The journey is just beginning for your son once he seeks the help he needs. You need to let him know you are there for him, supporting him through it all. Offer to go to any Narcotics Anonymous meetings with him, or attend his therapy sessions if he would like you to go. He will have his good and bad days, but your support may make the difference between his success or failure.