Key points
- A substance use disorder has recognizable patterns: using more than planned, finding it hard to stop, continuing despite harm, tolerance, and withdrawal. Noticing them is not a judgment. It is information.
- Treatment is a decision the person makes. A family’s job is to make that decision easier: by naming what they see without shame, by learning what treatment involves, and by calling ahead so the next step is already clear.
- Jasper Grove Recovery in Indianapolis provides medically supervised detox and residential treatment for adults 18 and older, with families included through weekly family programming, and a family session on request, once a release is signed.
- If you are worried about overdose, know the signs, know where the naloxone is, and know that 911 is the call. If someone is having thoughts of suicide, 988 is available 24 hours a day.
- Jasper Grove Recovery accepts Indiana Medicaid, commercial insurance, military coverage and private pay. Coverage check happens on the call. Admissions answers 24/7 at 317.527.4529.
In this article
- What families usually see first
- The patterns that define a substance use disorder
- Why withdrawal changes the conversation
- How to talk about it without shame
- What treatment involves, so you can describe it
- Calling before they are ready
- Safety while you wait
- Taking care of yourself
- Questions to ask when you call
- Start with one call
- Sources
- Common questions
What families usually see first
Families rarely see a substance use disorder all at once. They see pieces: money that does not add up, a person who is somewhere else even when they are in the room, promises that keep slipping, a change in who they spend time with, sleep that is all wrong. Often the first thing a family notices is not the substance at all. It is the distance.
If that sounds familiar, this guide is for you. It explains the patterns clinicians look for, why the body’s dependence changes the conversation, how to talk about treatment without turning it into a fight, and what calling admissions looks like. It is written for family members of adults. The decision to get treatment belongs to the person. What a family can do is make that decision easier to say yes to.
The patterns that define a substance use disorder
“Addiction” is the everyday word. The clinical term is a substance use disorder: a medical condition, and a treatable one. The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) describes it as involving “patterns of behaviors that might include using more of the substance than planned, finding it difficult to stop, or continuing to use despite knowing it’s causing harm” [1]. NIMH adds that people with substance use disorders “can develop tolerance (needing more of the substance to feel the same effects) or withdrawal symptoms when they stop,” and that these disorders “affect the brain and behavior, causing difficulties in work, school, or in relationships” [1].
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) describes the same core sign for families in plainer words: “continued use of drugs or alcohol despite experiencing the serious negative consequences of heavy drug or alcohol use,” alongside tolerance, craving, loss of control, and physical dependence or withdrawal [2].
Notice what is not on either list: how much a person uses, what they use, or whether they still go to work. People with jobs, degrees, and families have substance use disorders. The pattern is the sign, not the surface.
One more thing NIMH says that families should hear: “Many people with substance use disorders also experience other mental disorders” such as depression, anxiety, or bipolar disorder [1]. If you have been watching two problems at once, that is common, and it is a reason to seek treatment that addresses both.
Why withdrawal changes the conversation
Physical dependence is the piece families most often misread. When a person’s body has adapted to a substance, stopping brings withdrawal. SAMHSA’s booklet for families notes that “withdrawal symptoms differ depending on the drug, but they may include nausea, sweating, shakiness, and extreme anxiety” [2]. For alcohol, withdrawal can be medically dangerous. MedlinePlus states that symptoms “tend to occur within 8 hours after the last drink, but can occur days later,” that “people with moderate-to-severe alcohol withdrawal symptoms may need to be treated at a hospital or other facility,” and that “death is possible, especially if delirium tremens occurs” [3].
This matters for two reasons. First, “just stop” is not a plan, and a family that understands that will stop asking for it. Second, it is the reason medically supervised detox exists. The decision to get help is also a decision to get through withdrawal safely, with medical support, instead of alone.
How to talk about it without shame
The conversation most families dread is the one where they say what they see. A few things make it go better.
- Describe, do not diagnose. “I noticed you have not been sleeping, and I am worried” lands differently than “you have a problem.” You are offering information, not a verdict.
- Lead with care, not consequences. Shame and fear tend to close a conversation. Concern tends to open one.
- Ask what they want. SAMHSA’s booklet notes that many people enter treatment because of pressure from family, employers, or others, and that “the first step in treatment then is to help them see that they do have a problem and to become motivated to change for themselves” [2]. Your part is the conversation. The motivation has to be theirs.
- Know what you are offering. A person is more likely to say yes to something concrete, such as a program you have already called and can describe, than to the vague idea of “getting help.”
- Expect more than one conversation. A no today is not the end. It is information about where the person is.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) is clear that “no single treatment is appropriate for everyone” [4]. The same is true of the conversation. What works is the one your family can actually have, more than once if it takes that.
What treatment involves, so you can describe it
Being able to say what treatment actually is removes a lot of fear. At Jasper Grove Recovery, medical detox and residential treatment are in one place. Whether care begins in medical detox or residential treatment is a clinical decision, made with your loved one.
Medical detox. SAMHSA describes detoxification as a set of interventions for managing acute intoxication and withdrawal, with three parts: evaluation, stabilization, and fostering the person’s entry into treatment [5]. Medical detox at Jasper Grove Recovery is provided on site, with 24/7 nursing support and qualified medical providers evaluating medication needs at admission, including medication for opioid use disorder when clinically indicated. We have written out what medical detox looks like day to day so you can describe it.
Residential treatment. SAMHSA is clear that detoxification is not, by itself, treatment and rehabilitation [5]. Residential treatment is where the work happens. Treatment follows an individual plan; SAMHSA’s booklet describes that plan as one that “lists problems, treatment goals, and ways to meet those goals” [2]. Care at Jasper Grove Recovery is built around individual and group therapy using approaches such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), and trauma-informed care. Co-occurring mental health conditions are treated alongside substance use, as part of the same stay. Discharge planning starts at admission, as part of the treatment plan. Length of stay is determined by medical necessity, not a set number of days.
Families are part of it. Once your loved one has signed a release, family programming runs every week for family members and other support people, a family session with their clinician can be arranged on request, in person or virtually, and visiting hours are set. NIDA’s guide notes that “involvement of a family member or significant other in an individual’s treatment program can strengthen and extend treatment benefits” [4].
Jasper Grove Recovery is accredited by The Joint Commission. Men and women are housed separately, and couples, pregnant women and veterans are served.
Calling before they are ready
Families can call admissions before the person is ready, to learn what the process looks like. Admissions answers 24/7 at 317.527.4529. The team will explain how admission works, what to bring, and how coverage is checked. Jasper Grove Recovery accepts Indiana Medicaid, commercial insurance, military coverage and private pay. Coverage depends on the person’s specific plan, so have the member ID ready. Coverage check happens on the call. Checking your coverage doesn’t mean you’ve decided anything. It just means you’ll know. We help arrange transportation for admission, necessary appointments during treatment, and post-discharge plans.
Having that information ready means that when your loved one says yes, the next step is already clear, not a search. NIDA’s guide notes that “potential patients can be lost if treatment is not immediately available or readily accessible” [4]. A family that has already called has the next step ready.
Safety while you wait
A person who is still using is at risk, and a family that knows what to do is safer than one that does not.
SAMHSA’s Overdose Prevention and Response Toolkit lists the signs of an opioid overdose: “unconsciousness or inability to awaken,” “slow or shallow breathing or difficulty breathing such as choking sounds,” “fingernails or lips turning blue/purple,” and “pinpointed pupils or pupils that don’t react to light.” It notes that naloxone and nalmefene “do not cause harm if given to a person who is not experiencing opioid overdose.” Its instruction is simple: “If the person does not respond or you are not sure what to do next, call 911” [6]. Know where the naloxone is in your home.
The toolkit also lists “using drugs after a recent period of abstinence, which may decrease previous tolerance levels” as a risk factor [6]. If your loved one has had a stretch without using, whether by choice or by circumstance, that stretch raises the risk of overdose if they use again. It is a reason to have naloxone ready and to know the number.
If someone is having thoughts of suicide, that is an emergency. The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is available 24 hours a day by call or text, and 911 is the right call if someone is in immediate danger [7].
Taking care of yourself
SAMHSA’s booklet for families says it plainly: “It is important that you take good care of yourself—get enough sleep, eat right, rest, exercise, and talk to supportive friends and relatives” [2]. Worry is exhausting, and a family that is running on empty has little to offer when the yes finally comes. Family support groups exist for exactly this season. Once your loved one is in treatment and has signed a release, the weekly family programming at Jasper Grove Recovery is another place for support.
Questions to ask when you call
- How does admission work, and how soon can my loved one be admitted once they decide?
- Is medical detox provided in the same place as residential treatment?
- Is nursing available 24 hours a day?
- How are co-occurring mental health conditions assessed and treated?
- How and when will the family be included?
- What should my loved one bring?
- Is Indiana Medicaid accepted, and is the coverage check done on the call?
- Can you help arrange transportation?
Start with one call
You do not have to wait for your loved one to be ready before you learn what treatment looks like. Call admissions at 317.527.4529. Admissions answers 24/7. The team will explain how admission works, what to bring, and how coverage is checked, so that when the answer is yes, the next step is already clear.
Sources
- National Institute of Mental Health. Substance Use and Mental Health. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/substance-use-and-mental-health
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. What Is Substance Abuse Treatment? A Booklet for Families (SMA14-4126). https://library.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/sma14-4126.pdf
- MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia. Alcohol withdrawal. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000764.htm
- National Institute on Drug Abuse. Principles of Drug Addiction Treatment: A Research-Based Guide (Third Edition). https://nida.nih.gov/sites/default/files/podat-3rdEd-508.pdf
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. TIP 45: Detoxification and Substance Abuse Treatment, Chapter 1 (NCBI Bookshelf). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK64119/
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Overdose Prevention and Response Toolkit (PEP23-03-00-001). https://library.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/overdose-prevention-response-kit-pep23-03-00-001.pdf
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. https://988lifeline.org/
