How to help a loved one into rehab
To help a loved one into rehab, choose a calm moment, talk about specific behaviours and how they affect you, and have a concrete treatment option ready. A yes can then turn into admission quickly. Many Swiss private clinics can admit at short notice.
By the Switzerland Recovery editorial team · Updated · 7 min read
Prepare before you talk
Choose a calm moment when the person is sober. Speak about specific behaviours and your feelings. Avoid labels and blame. Have a concrete treatment option ready, so that a yes can turn into action immediately.
Our guide to alcohol addiction signs and recovery lists the changes families most often notice.
Use an approach that works
If the substance is cocaine, our guide on recognising cocaine addiction and what recovery involves lists the signs families most often notice.
Most people with an addiction are not in treatment. Only one in 12 people worldwide with a drug use disorder is in treatment (UNODC, 2026).
Families can change that. Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT) teaches relatives to encourage treatment without confrontation. A systematic review found that CRAFT led about two thirds of treatment-resistant people to enter treatment, three times the rate of Al-Anon or Nar-Anon (Addiction, 2010).
“Family and friends can play critical roles in motivating individuals with drug problems”
Professional interventions
A trained interventionist can plan and lead a family meeting. Many Swiss private clinics can arrange admission at short notice once the person agrees. Our guide to the first 72 hours at a Swiss rehab clinic explains what happens after arrival.
Admission to a Swiss private rehab clinic is voluntary. The person must consent. If someone is in immediate danger, call 144 for an ambulance (ch.ch, 2026).
Stay involved during treatment
Family involvement supports recovery. A meta-analysis of 12 randomised trials found a clear advantage for behavioural couples therapy over individual treatment for alcohol and drug use disorders (Clinical Psychology Review, 2008). Family therapy can also raise the chance of staying abstinent (NIAAA, 2025).
Ask the clinic about its family programme and how relatives take part.
Take care of yourself
Family members benefit from their own support. SafeZone.ch offers free, anonymous online counselling for affected people and their relatives (SafeZone.ch, 2026). Al-Anon groups support families of people who drink. The best clinics include family programmes.
Related treatment pages
Frequently asked questions
Can I book treatment for someone else?
You can enquire and plan on their behalf. Admission to a Swiss private clinic is voluntary, so the person must consent.
