When to know it’s time to go to rehab

Taking the step to go to rehab is not an easy one. For many, they never do it, battling addiction all their life and ultimately facing a death, full of complications and far too soon.

It’s so important to check into alcohol rehab if you’re suffering from alcoholism, just as it is if you’re struggling with drugs or gambling, but knowing when it is and identifying that you do have a problem is often the hardest thing.

So, when should it be time to start considering rehab?

Millions of people around the world suffer from addiction and everybody’s relationship with that substance is different. However, there are common tell tale signs that tell you that there is a problem, and it needs fixing.

It’s become your number one priority

For every addict, a substance will become their number one priority. It’ll be about how they get their hands on it, when their next hit will be and very little else. For alcoholics, for example, every activity will revolve around where they can get a drink and it can put things such as relationships and family time on the back burner.

Have a serious think about where a substance sits on your lists of priorities. If it’s incredibly high, then it’s likely there’s a problem.

Breakdown in relationships

That can naturally lead to a breakdown in relationships and if you find you are arguing more with friends or family, especially when you wouldn’t normally, then again it’s another common trait of addiction.

Substances will alter the brain and how it operates, which can lead to people being more anxious, paranoid, spiky and likely to switch emotions much more sporadically, which in turn can lead to more arguing and falling out.

Missing work through “illness”

Addiction will often lead to people taking time off work through illness as ultimately it will make you ill. Whether that be hangovers or the effects of the substance causing you to miss work, most people come sloppy with their day-to-day life as it becomes more and more focused on the substance.

If you’re missing more and more days at work of late, ask yourself why?

People are telling you, “you have a problem”

Ultimately, if people, in particular loved ones, are telling you that you have a problem, then chances are you do.

You may want to deny it or say that they are wrong, but it takes a lot of courage to come out and say they think someone has a problem, and they’re only doing it for the good of your health. So listen.