What is a Drug Abuse Intervention?
It is extremely difficult to watch addiction tear apart someone’s life. It is especially painful if it’s someone you’re very close to. Knowing you are powerless can be heartbreaking and emotionally straining. You may want to save an addict’s life but you can’t make someone stop taking drugs. That is entirely up to them. Until they realize they need to get help, the cycle of addiction will continue. An intervention can open the person’s eyes about their substance abuse and make them want to seek treatment.
An intervention is not only a confrontation, it is a way to give your loved one information. Family and friends often gather together to explain to the addict how their actions are affecting themselves and those around them. People who struggle with drug or alcohol addiction often don’t see the destruction they are causing and refuse to seek treatment. Treatment options and avenues of action should be discussed as well .
1. Make an Intervention Plan
A successful addiction intervention is well structured. A poorly planned intervention may even worsen the situation. A family member or a friend will propose a plan to others, and gather information on possible outcomes, collect ideas and list rehabs that best suit the addiction. Write down all the details and topics that will come up during an intervention so you are well prepared.
2. Gather Information
It is best to face the drug and alcohol addiction problem head on. Gather as much information as possible. Learn about the harm and symptoms of their drug of choice, to better explain to them on the day of intervention. Research the best drug addiction treatment plans, locations, or steps to take once they agree to seek help.
3. Your Intervention Team
A team of the addict’s closest family and/or friends should be at the addiction intervention. They will discuss the dependent’s addiction and life choices. Drug and alcohol addiction is a scary and a lonely disease. When the chemically dependent person sees how much their family cares about them, they might get a boost of encouragement and agree to attend treatment. Set a date, time and location to perform it. Sometimes it’s best to contact an drug alcohol addictions specialist who will recommend a successful approach.
4. Intervention Consequences
Often substance abuse interventions don’t go as planned, and the struggling addict refuses to attend drug rehabilitation treatment. Before the addiction intervention day, each person attending needs to decide what they will say to the refusing party and what actions they will take if they say no. For example, if they live in your home, ask them to move out or if they have children, let them know they would lose contact with them until they seek help and get clean.
5. Prepare Notes
It is recommended that attending members of a drug addiction intervention have written notes that list specific incidents that have occurred, or behaviors that have led them to believe that this person needs help. When you explain how they made you feel, express love and care instead of anger. A great way to start is with “I love you, but I was hurt…I felt upset..I was heartbroken…”
6. The Intervention
Invite the person needing the intervention to show up to the location, but don’t reveal why because most of the time the answer will be no. When they show up, each member will start sharing why they are there. Then present them with an offer to seek drug addiction and alcoholism treatment and accept it on the spot. Prepare for an addict to do anything in their power to manipulate you in order to end the intervention. Stay firm, yet caring and don’t fall for empty promises of tomorrows. It’s about now.
7. Intervention Follow Up
Those who didn’t attend the drug addiction intervention but are close family members or friends should be involved in the next steps in recovery. One step might be participating in your loved one’s therapy sessions, providing full emotional support, or possibly tailoring your own live. Have a plan and decide what to do should relapse occur.