When a Loved One Disappears: Finding Missing People in San Diego with Mental Health and Addiction Struggles

When someone you love goes missing—especially when they’re struggling with mental illness or addiction—the fear is immediate, the pain indescribable, and the path forward often uncertain. In San Diego, where addiction and behavioral health issues are on the rise, more families than ever are finding themselves in the unthinkable position of not knowing where their loved one is, or how to bring them home safely.

At Hope Interventions, we believe no one should face this journey alone. This guide offers clarity, practical steps, and the hope you need to navigate this crisis with purpose and compassion.

People struggling with mental illness or substance use disorders are at a higher risk of disappearing. They may:

• Flee due to paranoia, anxiety, or delusions.
• Go off the grid during a relapse or binge.
• Become homeless due to untreated co-occurring disorders.
• Be arrested or hospitalized without the family being notified.

Often, their disappearance isn’t out of malice—it’s a cry for help, disorientation, or fear. The longer they’re gone, the more dangerous the situation becomes.

Mental illness and addiction distort perception and behavior. Your loved one may:

• Avoid contact because of shame or fear of judgment.
• Be convinced their family is trying to harm them (a common delusion in psychosis).
• Wander or travel impulsively due to mania or drug-induced paranoia.
• Be drawn to high-risk environments like drug hotspots, encampments, or street life.

There is no 24-hour waiting period in California. Contact the San Diego Police Department at (619) 531-2000 or your local precinct. Be specific about your loved one’s mental health or substance use issues—this prioritizes urgency.

• Check detention centers, ERs, and detox units.
• Provide a recent photo, list of medications, and any aliases they might use.

Use social media, homeless outreach programs, or mutual friends. Individuals with addiction often gravitate toward familiar using environments.

• NAMUS (National Missing and Unidentified Persons System)
• NAMI San Diego or 211 San Diego for support

At Hope Interventions, we specialize in crisis intervention and locating missing persons who are battling addiction and mental illness. Our services include:

Professional Intervention Services

Once located, we work with families to stage therapeutic interventions that are trauma-informed, respectful, and solution-focused.

Missing Person Search Coordination

We leverage our network of clinicians, street outreach partners, sober transports, and case managers to track leads and respond rapidly.

Sober Transportation

If your loved one is found but vulnerable, we provide safe, supportive transport to treatment centers, hospitals, or home—with trained professionals by their side.

1. Trust your instincts. If something feels wrong, act.
   
2. Avoid blame. Compassion is more effective than confrontation when someone is in crisis.
   
3. Document everything. Keep track of calls, places searched, and contacts made.
4. Ask for help. You don’t have to do this alone—and you shouldn’t.

Your loved one may be lost right now—but that doesn’t mean they’re gone forever. We’ve seen reunions happen after weeks, even months, when families and professionals work together with persistence and love.

Hope Interventions exists to help you find the person behind the illness. Whether it’s coordinating a search, staging a safe return, or guiding your family through an intervention, we are here.

📞 Contact us today for immediate guidance and compassionate support.