When a loved one goes through drug detox and rehabilitation and comes home, it can feel like a new beginning but also a minefield. As a parent, family member, or friend of someone in early recovery, it can be challenging to figure out the best way to support them and the right things to say and do.
Educating yourself on addiction recovery, what to expect, how to prepare, and creating a safe and supportive environment are some ways to welcome a loved one home from rehab.
What to Expect After Drug Detox and Rehab
The end of drug and alcohol rehab treatment is not the end of the recovery process—it’s the beginning of a new season in life. Whether your loved one completed 30 days or 90, life after rehab can be overwhelming and stressful for those in recovery.
With old addiction triggers, new temptations, and both former and newfound responsibilities, early recovery requires support and encouragement. As a friend, family member, sibling, or parent of an addicted loved one, it’s essential to know what to say and do and what not to say and do when they complete rehab.
Drug detox and rehab programs provide a controlled and structured environment for people to recover in—real life does not. While yes, your loved one will need support and encouragement, they will also need time and space to apply what they’ve learned in treatment.
How to Welcome a Loved One Home from Rehab: A Guide
Welcoming a close friend or family member home from addiction treatment doesn’t mean you are responsible for their recovery. Your role in supporting a loved one after rehab isn’t to save them but to provide them with a safe environment and a listening ear. Here are some ways to prepare to welcome a loved one home in early recovery while taking care of yourself.
1. Remove Triggers from the Home
Before your loved one comes home from rehab, remove all substances, alcohol, drugs, and paraphernalia from the space. Consider other aspects and items that may trigger old habits, such as specific movies, books, photos, or social media accounts.
2. Set Expectations and Healthy Boundaries Early
When welcoming a loved one home from treatment, prepare yourself to have a calm but clear conversation with them. Set expectations such as:
- Attending weekly recovery meetings
- Contribute to household tasks
- Get a job
Be upfront with your loved one without overwhelming them and sounding like a parole officer. Remember that boundaries are not just rules but are intended to help maintain a healthy relationship.
Setting limits around communication, behavior, curfews, and money will support their healing journey. Addiction recovery is most effective when there is structure and clarity.
3. Create a Safe Space for Recovery
Your recovering loved one needs a place that feels calm and stable after completing rehab. This means reducing negative emotions, chaos, and unpredictability, allowing them to focus solely on recovering physically and mentally. Set healthy routines such as nutritional meals, daily movement, minimal drama, and consistent positivity.
4. Provide Support without Enabling
Finding the line between supporting and enabling a loved one in recovery can be incredibly challenging. Supporting a sober loved one means encouraging accountability and independence. Enabling behaviors are when you are making excuses, covering up, or unintentionally supporting their toxic habits and addictive behaviors.
As a parent or close friend of an addicted loved one, it can feel almost natural to want to rescue them from the consequences of their problematic behaviors, but this does not support their recovery journey. Before acting, ask yourself if your actions are helping them stay sober or avoiding discomfort. Substance abuse recovery is supposed to be uncomfortable as it is a time of shedding old habits and coping techniques and growing in sobriety.
5. Talk Less, Listen More
Following drug and alcohol rehab, individuals are usually processing a lot of heavy emotions such as guilt, anxiety, and hope. One of the best things you can do for someone struggling with their feelings is to sit and listen to them. Listening to someone’s struggles with addiction doesn’t mean you have to provide a solution—sometimes, they need someone to vent to.
Avoid giving unsolicited advice to a loved one in recovery unless they ask. Instead, be there for them and ask open-ended questions like:
- “How are you feeling today?”
- “What do you need from me right now?”
- “What does support look like to you?”
6. Educate Yourself About Addiction and Recovery
You don’t have to become an addiction treatment and recovery expert, but learning the basics will immensely help. Acknowledging that addiction is a disease and not a moral failing can help friends and family members offer more compassionate support for loved ones in recovery. Understanding physical dependence and addiction and the different stages of relapse helps loved ones identify early warning signs and how to respond to them.
7. Prepare for Setbacks and Celebrate Wins
Drug and alcohol addiction recovery is not linear—it often comes with ups and downs. Relapsing in early recovery does not mean failure—your recovery management plan needs some adjustments. If a loved one relapses, it’s essential to remain in control of your own emotions and stay calm. Relapse can happen due to numerous things, such as high-risk situations, ineffective coping mechanisms, and unstable emotional states.
Display empathy while sharing your concerns and offering ways to support them. Connect them with their rehab center, sponsor, and/or therapist to get them back on track. Honoring small wins is just as important as significant recovery milestones—acknowledge and commend their efforts, whether one month clean or one year sober. Addiction recovery is hard work, and recognition and celebration help.
8. Prioritize Your Own Mental Health and Well-Being
Watching someone you love struggle with a substance use disorder (SUD) can take a toll on you physically and mentally. Make time for your mental health and well-being, not just others. Attending therapy and support groups for loved ones of people with an addiction can help you process your feelings and receive encouragement from people who understand. Prioritize daily exercise, healthy sleep habits, and nutritional meals to elevate mood and energy levels.
You don’t have to do this alone, and you shouldn’t have to. Walk beside your recovering loved one with clear boundaries, compassion, and steady love and support.
References:
- Mayo Clinic, 2023. Intervention: Help a loved one overcome addiction.
- Substance Abuse: Research and Treatment, 2023. Habits and Routines of Adults in Early Recovery From Substance Use Disorder: Clinical and Research Implications From a Mixed Methodology Exploratory Study.
- Cleveland Clinic, 2023. 4 Signs of Enabling and How to Stop.
- National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2020. Treatment and Recovery.
- GoodRx, 2024. What Is a Relapse, and How Do You Help Someone Experiencing a Relapse?