We are having issues with a member of our family addicted to prescription drugs. This is very servere and has been gettin gworse for about 6 years. We need to get him help ASAP, but he won’t want to go. Does anyone know if we can take him somewhere that they will make him stay or can they leave whenever they want? I’ve heard that a hopital will make him stay until we sign him out, is this true? Or do we have to involve the law to have that happen? Thanks in advance.
Involuntarly commiting a family member to substance abuse programs without involving the law?
September 2nd, 2010 
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Posted in Blog 
Tags: Abuse, commiting, family., Involuntarly, involving, member, programs, Substance, Without
no facility can legally keep him against his will without an order from the law and those are hard to enforce. sad but true
No, you cannot force a person to get clean if they don’t want to. Unless he’s a danger to himself or the community, he won’t be committed to a hospital for more than 72 hours at most. Try getting the rest of the family to Narcotics Anonymous
http://www.narconon.org/
Contact the facility and ask. They’ll be more than familiar with all of this, and they’ll be able to answer your questions. They may also be able to help your family to arrange an intervention, which should help ths individual to see that he needs the help. That’s crucial, since rehab has no chance to work if the patient doesn’t want it to work or isn’t ready to do the work involved in getting healthy.
If he won’t go, your family will have to decide how to handle this individual, as in whether or not to continue to have regular contact with him, the type of contact, etc.
It would help your family greatly to have some idea of what is involved in rehab and of what their options are, all around. Here’s a title that may be of assistance.
I’m not an expert, but I know a person can’t be held against his will unless he is a danger to himself or others.
personally I would try to find a psychiatrist who would be willing to say that he is a danger to himself.
the only thing u can do is get a court order and if the person is in their right mind u wont even get that. he must see for himself what the drugs are doing before anyone can help. donalore
He is the only one who can change things and get help unless he is a danger to himself or others. It sounds like your having a really hard time perhaps you need to get some help as a carer of a daughter with addictions I found that when I started to get counselling and make a change in my life things began to improve for my daughter. The dynamics changed and I learnt new skills to deal with the situation. Sometimes we need to get the law involved if things are getting out of hand eg. violence etc. Good luck my prayers are with you.
Unless he is a danger to self and community they will not do this. It is hard to get a place to lock someone eles against their will. He has to want help or it is a waste. he hasnt hit bottom yer, Take care and God bless been there done that!
make him face the consequences of his choices. dont rescue him or enable him!
hello see http://www.cchr.com as reference on drugs and
http://www.narconon.com for a drug rehabilitation facility