Sensitive issue, my lonng time friend needs REHAB

[Anonymous 1]

A long time friend of me and my sisters was hospitalized yesterday after being found unresponsive in his house by his landscaper. He was taken to the hospital and I am suspecting either an OD or he drank himself into an oblivion. He is a huge alcoholic. He is going to be ok but he is lucky. He has only 2 family members locally and they are distant from him. No kids, no siblings, parents. He works for a huge fortune 100 company and has good insurance and makes good $.

We need to get him into rehab no matter how stubborn he is. He toyed with going 5 years ago but didn't. I hope this is a wakeup call that next time he wont wake up.

Do rehabs normally clear everything through insurance? He needs inpatient but will probably fight me on it. I am going to encourage him to take FMLA but I do not want to get him in trouble with his job....how does that work? I it also possible he mixed some pills but we are going to have a talk tonight and I am going to tell him he needs to seek help.

What should be my next step here?

[Anonymous 2]

that's tough. But he has to want it too. You can't make him do it. Sorry I don't have any advice. I have dealt with alcoholics before and the ones I have dealt with are family members and friends and they were defensive and in denial that they had a problem. There was nothing I could do to make them go to rehab.

[Anonymous 3]

This is his decision to make. You can’t make a grown up do something he doesn’t want to do.

[hotspice58]

This. He has to realize he has a problem and needs help. Otherwise, it will be useless. I've dealt with an ex-husband and 2 sisters. One sister went, got clean and has been good for 20 years. The other sister got out a few months ago and relapsed. but she's cut down on the drinking. Ex-husband went to 3 rehabs and moved to get clean.

that's tough. But he has to want it too. You can't make him do it. Sorry I don't have any advice. I have dealt with alcoholics before and the ones I have dealt with are family members and friends and they were defensive and in denial that they had a problem. There was nothing I could do to make them go to rehab.

[Anonymous 4]

He does admit he is an alcoholic. I am hoping he will agree he needs help.

Does anyone know anything about rehab? Will they prepare medical forms for FMLA?

This. He has to realize he has a problem and needs help. Otherwise, it will be useless. I've dealt with an ex-husband and 2 sisters. One sister went, got clean and has been good for 20 years. The other sister got out a few months ago and relapsed. but she's cut down on the drinking. Ex-husband went to 3 rehabs and moved to get clean.

that's tough. But he has to want it too. You can't make him do it. Sorry I don't have any advice. I have dealt with alcoholics before and the ones I have dealt with are family members and friends and they were defensive and in denial that they had a problem. There was nothing I could do to make them go to rehab.

[leadfoot40]

rehab does nothing if they don't want to go

[famousglm714]

Idk, that's more than I'd be willing to take on. Especially when he doesn't seem to really be ready for that yet. Insurance is a crap shoot with that kind of thing. Good luck if your're in the US. Rehab is usually not cheap by any means. Even with the most wonderful insurance in the world. They do have scholarships though. Unless you find some state facility which is probably not the best.

If he isn't the one who actually wants to go nothing they do in rehab will be of any value to him. It will be a waste of time and money. HE has to want it as hard as that is for everyone else. My next step would be a step away to be honest. I know people like that and I love them from afar. Some people really are too far gone as hard as that is to hear. I mourn them before they pass because they're pretty much already gone. Especially if it's opiates. The statistics on coming back from them are incredibly bleak.

[MonarchMom]

You need information from a group that knows the options in your area.


https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/ ... nformation



https://www.addictionsandrecovery.org/f ... n-ptsd.htm

[Anonymous 4]

Depends on the insurance. My friend went in for rehab for physical issues, not drug. He is physically disabled. He had copays and deductibles. The hospital caseworker may be able to help him or the referral person who works in the primary doctor's office. The alcoholic I know admits it but won't do anything about it. I told him that's up to him; I'm not going to lecture him about it. Because at the end of the day he has to decide to help himself.

[Anonymous 5]

I’m married, but soon divorced, from an alcoholic drug addict.

Bottom line unless he wants to get help nothing will work.

Period.

Believe I know.

I tried for years. I begged. I pleaded. With our insurance it would’ve been 200 bucks for the entire rehab stay and he still refused to go.

Your friend hasn’t hit rock bottom and until he does nothing will help.