When your loved one struggles with addiction, it seems impossible not to intervene. Addiction effects everyone close the person struggling with addiction, including family, spouses, friends and coworkers. Sometimes there comes a point when the addiction is putting the addict and others in immediate danger and it’s important to act quickly. Staging an intervention may be the best option for changing the course of negative events brought about by the addiction. An intervention is a well-planned process that brings the loved one struggling with addiction together with a group of people that are the closest to the addict in order to confront the situation and lay down guidelines for recovery. Addiction interventions are successful in many cases because they come from people who actually care about the addicts wellbeing.
Steps to stage an intervention
The first thing to take into account when considering an intervention is that planning and preparation plays a huge role in the success of the intervention. Individuals participating in the intervention should be knowledgeable about drug or alcohol addiction. Understanding why people become addicted and how addiction works within the brain will help to keep the intervention focused directly on addiction and the intended outcome of the intervention and subsequent treatment. Family members and friends have most likely suffered along with the individual struggling with addiction and emotions can become highly charged during an intervention.
Understanding addiction can help to keep things in perspective during this difficult time. Before staging the intervention, make arrangements with a rehab facility. Let them know about your plans for an intervention and solicit any help or advice you may need. A trusted rehab center can provide essential guidance about how to approach the intervention and what to expect. The person struggling with addiction should be able to go in to treatment immediately following the intervention, so you’ll want to establish a relationship with the facility beforehand to let your loved one know what to expect while receiving treatment.
Decide who will participate in the intervention
Interventions led by professionals, including counselors or other trained individuals, may be an option for some families, however it will require funds to conduct the intervention. Prices may range between a few hundred up to thousands of dollars to work with a professional experienced with drug and alcohol addiction. Though professional intervention can be an easy choice for some families, it may prove to be cost-prohibitive for others. In lieu of hiring professionals to help you stage an intervention, consider organizing the intervention yourself with the help of family and friends.
When deciding to stage the intervention without professional help, you’ll need to carefully consider who to involve in the process. Choose members of the addicts inner circle that truly care about the recovery of your loved one. The group should be kept small enough so that the addict doesn’t become overwhelmed by too much input. Consider a mediator if you choose to organize the intervention yourself. The mediator could be a family friend or clergy that can remain objective during the course of the intervention.
What to discuss and what to avoid during the intervention
Keep in mind there is only one objective that should be met during an intervention. The goal is for the loved one struggling with addiction to agree to participate in treatment. There should be no other agenda, such as repairing relationships or forcing the addict to confess and take responsibility for all the hardships created from addiction. Those issues can be addressed during and after treatment. Guilting someone into doing anything usually fails in the long run. Consider proposing a contract with the individual to establish guidelines about participating in treatment in exchange for help from others in the intervention group.
Discuss the benefits of receiving treatment and also the consequences of continued drug or alcohol use, including:
- legal consequences
- health consequences
- financial consequences
- social consequences
People often see an intervention as a last resort, and in some situations that will be the case. However, there is no reason to wait until irreparable damage has occurred. Regardless of when the intervention takes place, people are more likely to get help with addiction when they’ve encountered a carefully planned intervention arranged by family members and others closely involved in the life of the one struggling with addiction. For more information about staging an intervention and treatment for your loved one, call us today at 833-497-3808.