Addiction is a serious issue that affects many, and it can be hard to know how to intervene. Families often worry about their addicted loved ones and don’t want them to suffer alone. The family members of someone with an addiction need to come together and create a plan so they know what steps to take when things get tough. There are many different ways people have successfully intervened in addiction cases, but we’ll go over the most popular ones here to better understand your options.
1. Seek Professional Counseling
The best way to intervene for someone with an addiction is to get a professional counselor involved. A therapist can go over the addict’s treatment options and create a plan that’s best suited to them. This gives addicts an opportunity to get help without feeling trapped or forced into it, which provides them with a lot of motivation during this difficult time. A therapist can also support you and your family, so you have a safe space to talk about the situation.
2. Take Away The Addict’s Access Of Drugs Or Alcohol
This usually involves taking away their car keys, credit cards, or other items that may cause them to abuse drugs or alcohol again. This is often done when addicts are in an intense stage of addiction, making it harder for them to go through recovery without these things. But by removing access to anything detrimental, they are much more likely to get treatment because they don’t want their lives ruined anymore. Of course, this isn’t foolproof by any means because some addicts will find other ways to obtain substances, but it does give them a better chance compared to not limiting their options.
3. Get Involved In Their Life
This can be extremely difficult, but it is among the most effective ways to help an addict. By being more involved in their lives, you better understand what they’re going through and when they’re using drugs or alcohol again. Knowing this information enables you to take action and get them the help they need so they stay sober for good. This is a lot easier said than done because this requires a lot of dedication on your part, but it’s something many people have been able to do effectively with enough effort put in.
4. Talk To Them Openly And Honestly About Addiction
The best way to intervene for addiction is to talk about it openly and honestly. It would be best to let them know how their addiction negatively affects themselves and you as a family member or friend. This can be difficult because addicts are often in denial about the problem, so they may try to avoid this talk, but everyone needs to have an open line of communication if they want things to improve.
5. Get Professional Help Yourself So You Can Be An Effective Support System For Them
If you’re trying to help someone with addiction, then it helps if you get treatment yourself. Many family members don’t seek professional help at first, but this gives them the knowledge necessary to solve addiction problems. It also enables you to understand what your loved one is going through to provide the best type of support.
6. Validate Your Loved One’s Addiction
Another step of all intervention methods is to validate your loved one’s addiction or what they’re going through. Instead of simply saying the behavior isn’t good, Validating their feelings will show them that you care and understand where they’re coming from. When you say something like, “I know it feels like there’s no other way, but sometimes there is,” you are saying that they are not alone in this. You also recognize their feelings which can help them feel less isolated, but it’s important not to invalidate their feelings.
7. Use the Natural Consequences Model
Another one of the most common forms of intervention for addiction in teens is the natural consequences model. This method focuses on teaching the teen how to deal with the consequences of their actions. Essentially, you want them to feel what life would be like if they continued their addiction so they can see that it’s not as good as they think. For example, if a teen is caught drinking and driving, have their phone taken away, restrict going out until things change at home, or even take away a privilege they enjoy. If the teen in question has a job, you can make them feel like it would be like not to have money or take away their paycheck.
Conclusion
This post will give you a good idea of how to help your loved one successfully. They will more than likely resist any of these methods at first, but it can work if you stay diligent and keep trying. Also, make sure not to give up on them because addiction is powerful, and they need your support more than ever. Ready to get started? Call us on 833-497-3808 now.