Interventions

Staging an intervention can often be a beneficial way to get your addicted friend or family member the help they need in the safest way possible. Interventions can often be very successful, especially when they are done right.

Staging an Intervention

When you realize someone you care about needs professional treatment for addiction, it can help to gather their closest friends and family members and make a plan to discuss the issue all together. When choosing the individuals you will invite to an intervention

• A group between 4 and 6 people is usually most effective.
• You will want to make sure that you choose individuals who are close to and trusted by your loved one and who will want to see them get healthy.
• It is best to choose people who can stay calm during the process.
  • If someone would like to be there but feels they will not be able to stay within the parameters of the intervention, they can instead write a letter to be read at the event.

You may also want to hire a professional interventionist, which can take some of the burden off you. This individual can ensure that everyone stays on track, and they will be able to generally steer the meeting in the best direction possible. In addition, the presence of a professional may also serve to help your loved one understand how serious the situation is.

Intervention Outcomes

It is absolutely paramount that you choose an option for your loved one’s substance abuse treatment before the intervention. This will ensure they have an immediate and positive action to take after the event. Otherwise, your loved one may lie and say they will seek treatment and then not do it, as lying is often “the inevitable reaction of drug addicts to the fact that the people who care about them want them to stop their use of addicting substances” (American Clinical and Climatological Association).

If your loved one refuses to seek treatment or to see the issues their addiction is causing, it is important to have consequences already in mind. You may choose to stop giving the person money or to tell them they can no longer live with you, see their children, etc. These can seem like harsh boundaries, but you will have to let your loved one know their decision to keep using affects everyone. Then, you must absolutely stick to your consequences, never swaying from them unless your loved one finally agrees to get help.