Who Should Participate in An Intervention

Drug addiction is an epidemic that is sweeping the nation. Many addicts try to stop at one point or another but can’t do it on their own. With more than 72,000 people dying in the U.S. alone in 2017, something has to be done to help addicts overcome their addiction and get America back on track.

Many families choose to hold interventions to help motivate and support their loved ones to get help with their addiction. If you have a loved one battling an addiction, use the following guide to learn everything you need to know about holding an intervention that will be both helpful and supportive for your loved one.

Hold an Intervention

An intervention is a meeting where people tell their loved one know they need to get help for their addiction and that they’ll have the support they need to get clean and sober. Someone who thinks they’re functioning well even though they have an addiction to drugs or alcohol may not realize that they need to make changes in their life. When this happens, family and friends may need to gather together to hold an intervention to help the person.

Who Should Come to an Intervention?

When holding an addiction intervention, it’s best to have people who know the addict well present. You want the addict to feel that they can connect with the people that are talking to them. Friends, family and even coworkers who know that the addict is battling their addiction may be able to talk to the person and help them realize that they need to get help to overcome it.

Hiring a professional interventionist is also a great option to consider. You can have someone who knows the ins and outs of an intervention help you come up with a plan based off of past experiences with the addict. This can help you to be sure that everyone remains as safe as possible throughout the intervention.

Who Shouldn’t Come to the Intervention?

People who have a cross to bear with the addict should not come to the intervention. You want it to be a time of love and acceptance, not judgment and harshness. If the addict feels as though they’re being judged, they could run away from the situation and disappear forever.

It’s important to realize that things that are said during the intervention may not be positive; the addict could end up saying harsh and hurtful things when confronted with their addiction. It’s best to avoid having children in the room during an intervention because some of the things they may hear could be hurtful or inappropriate. If children want to address the addiction with their loved one, they could write a note for the addict to read or to have read to them.

What Should be Discussed During an Intervention?

When you hold an intervention, it’s important to have substantial things to discuss. The information should be based on provable facts and instances. Some people make the mistake of generalizing things when they’re in an intervention; this can cause that addict to lose sight of how the drugs are affecting not only them but also those around them. Having specific times and dates to discuss can help make the intervention be as proactive as it can be.

How to Prepare for the Intervention

Before holding an intervention, it’s important for those that love the addict to take the time to create a plan of action for them. Find an addiction treatment facility for them to go to as soon as the intervention is over. Knowing that there is help they can get right away may nudge them in the direction of overcoming their addiction.

Be sure to find out if the treatment is covered by their insurance, needs to be paid out of pocket or if they could get a grant to pay for the costs. You don’t want to talk someone into getting help with their addiction only to be turned down because of their financial situation.

If the addict has children, be sure to have arrangements in place for their care so that the person can focus on overcoming their addiction rather than worrying about what is going on with their kids. Knowing their kids will be safe while they go through recovery can make the process easier for them.

What Issues Could Arise During the Intervention?

It’s important to know that addicts do sometimes become defensive during an intervention. You can’t trap an addict in a house if they want to leave. It’s best to try to keep everyone calm during the intervention so that the person can hear what everyone is saying. Yelling and screaming will cause the person to shut down, react with violence or flee from the scene.

Remember: you cannot force an addict to stop using drugs. In order for drug addiction treatment to work, the person has to want to quit using drugs or alcohol. Most addicts reach a point in life when they’re fed up with the way they’re living and want to be able to get their life back on track and enjoy the days they have left on Earth.

When they’re ready, be prepared to give them the help they need. Hire an interventionist and find a local treatment facility for your loved one to go to so you can help them overcome their addiction as quickly and as easily as possible. The effort that everyone puts into the intervention will be well worth it once your loved one is free from their addiction.

Work Cited

Center for Substance Abuse Treatment. Brief Interventions and Brief Therapies for Substance Abuse. Rockville (MD): Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (US); 1999. (Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP) Series, No. 34.) Chapter 2—Brief Interventions in Substance Abuse Treatment. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK64942/

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