Interventions

Living with someone who has an addiction or who lives a risky lifestyle can be difficult. Trying to talk to the person about their problems, or even threatening and pleading may do nothing. If nothing else has worked, it may be time for an intervention.

Interventions are meetings attended by the addict and those who care about them, with the hope of convincing the addict to seek treatment. In some cases, a counselor, doctor, or clergyman may also be present. Some families choose to work with an interventionist, someone whose job is to lead the intervention. The addict is told how their lifestyle has affected everyone else, and that it is time for a change. An intervention is meant to be a wake-up call. An intervention may be used for all types of addicts, not just those addicted to drugs and alcohol. Other addicts that may benefit from an intervention include computer, gambling, and pornography addicts, as well as those suffering from self-mutilation and eating disorders.

The goal of an intervention is for the addict to realize they need to seek help, and then do so. This is meant to be a life-changing event for the addict. The addict should be informed of the scope of his or her addiction – both how it has hurt them, and how it has hurt others. An interventionist may be able to give an objective view on the extent of the addiction. Another goal of an intervention is for the addict to understand the treatment options available to them, and to be encouraged to accept that treatment.

It may be hard to know when it is time to start planning an intervention. The best way to know when to schedule one is when it gets to the point where everything else has been tried, and nothing has worked. Continued one-on-one discussions with the addict can lead to anger and resentment, making the problem worse. Being able to sit down, as part of a team, and discuss the problem is usually a great source of relief for family members who feel like they have been tuned out. Interventions allow everyone to get their feelings, questions, and concerns out into the open.

When planning an intervention, it is important to think everything through carefully. When making a list of people to include, try to avoid overly-confrontational friends or family members to prevent the intervention from turning into a screaming match. Everyone in attendance should be prepared to speak. If an interventionist or a counselor from an addiction center will be participating, they should be encouraged to sit down with the other attendees before the addict shows up. They can give everyone an honest idea of what to expect.

The initial response of most addicts is anger. Interventions are often viewed as an invasion of the addicts life, or like everyone is ganging up on them. Be patient. Once this is out of the way, the addict should be encouraged to listen to everyone, and think about what is being said. It should be emphasized that everyone cares very much about the addict, and that the intervention is taking place because they are worried about the addict’s health and well-being.

Ideally, the addict will decide that day to seek treatment. Realistically, though, it may take several days or weeks for the addict to decide to change. For some, an intervention is not enough to encourage them to give up their lifestyle choices. The best that a family can hope for is that they will walk away from an intervention with more information about the addiction, and that, eventually, the addict will admit their problem and seek help.

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