An intervention is a well-thought-out strategy that can be carried out by family and friends, in consultation with a doctor or addiction professional such as registered alcohol and drug counsellors, or under the supervision of an intervention expert (interventionist). It can sometimes involve a member of your loved one’s faith community or other people who care about them.
During the intervention, these individuals come together to confront their loved one about the dangers of addiction and to urge them to get treatment.
Specific examples of damaging actions and their influence on your addicted loved one’s family and friends;
Providing a treatment plan with distinct phases, objectives, and instructions;
A document laying out what each individual will do if your loved one refuses to accept treatment.
Typical Intervention Steps
An intervention usually includes the following steps:
Make A Strategy
A family member or friend suggests an intervention, and a planning committee is formed. To help you plan an effective intervention, you should speak with a skilled professional counsellor, an addiction professional, a psychologist, a mental health counsellor, a social worker, or an interventionist. An intervention is a highly contentious situation that can provoke strong emotions such as anger, hatred, or betrayal. It’s critical to have a plan in place to deal with the various reactions and emotions that may arise.
Collect Information
Members of the group learn about the severity of your loved one’s situation and conduct research on the condition and therapy options. Thogether you may make arrangements for your loved one to be enrolled in a particular treatment programme.
Assemble an Intervention Team
The planning group forms a team that will directly participate in the intervention. Team members agree on a time and place and collaborate to deliver a consistent, well-rehearsed message and a well-structured plan. Non-family members of the team usually assist in keeping the conversation focused on the facts and shared solutions rather than on the strong emotional reactions. Wait until the day of the intervention to tell your loved one what you’re up to.
Make a Decision on Specific Repercussions
If your loved one refuses treatment, each member of the team must decide what course of action to take. You might, for example, decide to ask your loved one to leave the room temporarily if that happens.
Make a List of What You Want to Say
Each team member describes particular instances in which the addiction resulted in consequences such as emotional harm or financial difficulties. Discuss the consequences of your loved one’s actions while showing concern and the hope that they will change. To your loved one, the facts and your emotional reaction to the situation are irrefutable. Begin by expressing something like “I was upset and sad when you drank…”, for example.
Organise an Intervention Meeting
Your addicted loved one is summoned to the intervention site without being told why. The team members then take turns sharing their worries and emotions. Your loved ones are given a treatment option and are invited to accept it on the spot. If your loved one refuses to accept the plan, each team member will state what precise modifications they will make. If you threaten a punishment, make sure you’re prepared to carry it through.
Keep in Touch
It’s vital to enlist the aid of a spouse, family members, or friends to help someone with an addiction stay in treatment and prevent relapse. Changing daily habits to make it easier to avoid problematic behaviour, deciding to participate in counselling with a loved one, finding a therapist and recovery support, and knowing what to do if they relapse are all ways in which you can help them.
What Are the Risks of an Intervation?
To work as intended, the intervention process must be meticulously planned. A badly planned intervention might exacerbate the situation by making your loved one feel attacked, isolating them and making them more resistant to treatment.
Addiction is a serious problem that requires immediate attention. Get Confidential Help Now. Call our 24h admissions line to get help – 0800 999 1083.
When Should You Intervene in a Loved One’s Addiction?
The decision to consider an intervention is a difficult and emotional one that is often made as a last resort after informal chats and gentle encouragement to get treatment have failed.
It’s difficult to recognise when an intervention is required, but interpreting this correctly will increase the chances of a successful intervention.
Increased tolerance to alcohol or drugs, a change in looks, mood swings, hostility, and a decline in health are all evident and common signs that a person’s addiction is getting out of hand.
Secretive behaviour, legal or financial difficulties, excessive borrowing of money, problems at work or school, a lack of ambition, and an increasing indifference to activities that the individual used to enjoy, are some of the less visible indicators of an addiction that is escalating. If a person exhibits one or more of these typical signs, it is possible that they are losing control of their lives due to addiction. Intervening is recommended in these situations.
Secretive Behaviour
Anxiety, guilt, and humiliation are common sensations associated with compulsive behaviour and addiction.
As a result, it is normal for people who are suffering to become secretive and hide their behaviour from friends and loved ones.
If someone is suffering in silence, their disorder is more likely to deteriorate or even lead to overdose. As a result, hidden behaviour is extremely risky. Strong emotions, such as unrestrained rage, irritation, and defensiveness, are common symptoms of secretive behaviour. It’s critical to recognise intense emotions while dealing with sensitive themes as a sign of secretive behaviour.
Who Should be on the Intervention Team?
A typical intervention team consists of four to six people who are significant in the addict’s life – people they love, like, respect or rely on. This might be a best friend, adult relative, or a member of their spiritual community. Your interventionist can assist you in determining who should be on the team.
No one should be included if they:
Are despised by the patient;
Have a mental health or drug or alcohol addiction that is untreated;
Might not be able to keep what they say to what you agreed on at the planning discussion;
Can possibly sabotage the intervention.
If you believe that someone’s involvement is vital but are concerned that it will cause a problem during the intervention, have that individual write a short letter that someone else can read at the intervention. Addiction is a serious problem that requires immediate attention. Get Confidential Help Now. Call our 24h admissions line to get help – 0800 999 1083.
Seek Advice of an Addiction Specialist
You can plan an effective intervention by consulting an addiction specialist, such as a licenced alcohol and drug addiction counsellor, a social worker, a psychologist, a psychiatrist, or a professional interventionist. An addiction professional will consider your loved one’s unique circumstances, recommend the best course of action, and assist you in determining which sort of treatment and follow-up plan is most likely to be successful.
Often, interventions are carried out without the assistance of a trained interventionist, however, having expert assistance may be advantageous. Occasionally, the intervention takes place at the professional’s office. It’s crucial to have a professional present during the intervention to keep you on track if your loved one:
Has been diagnosed with a major mental health disorder in the past;
Has a history of committing acts of violence;
Has exhibited suicidal tendencies or recently spoken about suicide;
Tips for a Successful Intervention
Interventions are most effective when they are well-planned and executed accordingly. Interventions can be up to 90% successful in persuading the person to seek treatment if this meeting is properly planned, especially with the help of a professional.
Keep the following in mind for an effective intervention:
The intervention is solely for the benefit of the person who requires assistance in overcoming substance abuse; it is not for the benefit of anyone else. It is not the intention to rant about previous wrong doings.
Interventions are not about lashing out, shaming, or assaulting the person who is battling with addiction; they are about educating and offering support and hope to overcome addiction.
Professional assistance can help guide the intervention process. They’re especially useful if loved ones are too emotionally invested in the situation to create a good strategy, or if the subject has a history of violence or mental illness.
Individuals battling with substance misuse may be unaware of the pain they are inflicting on themselves or others, but an intervention can help them realise that their actions are harming those they care about, not just themselves. The subject of the intervention is more likely to accept treatment if they know they will be supported when they enter medical detox and a full rehabilitation programme.
Things to Stay Away From During an Intervention
Even with preparation, there are a few things to keep in mind during an intervention. These are some of them:
Labels such as “alcoholic,” “addict,” and “junkie,” should be avoided. Instead, use neutral terminology and refrain from categorising the person only on the basis of their addiction.
Avoid having too many people doing the intervention. Choose a core circle of close friends and family and keep it to a reasonable size.
Try and reduce distress during the intervention. Find techniques to handle your emotions so that the event does not become dominated by them.
Your loved one can’t be inebriated or high. If the intervention subject is inebriated at the time the event is meant to happen, it is unlikely to be successful. Be ready to wait for the person to become sober.
Addiction is a serious problem that requires immediate attention. Get Confidential Help Now. Call our 24h admissions line to get help – 0800 999 1083.
Are Interventions Effective?
It’s possible that a family’s idea of intervention success might not include going to treatment right away. Instead, its’ effectiveness could be measured by how well they follow through on statements and boundaries set during and after the session.
Alcohol and drug interventions are more likely to be successful when a formula is followed and the group works with a professional. The success of an intervention is always contingent on the actions and reactions of all parties involved, but following a strategy and taking efforts to implement it can raise the odds of success.
Intervention and rehab support aims to improve the quality of life for those living with drug use and/or mental health disorders by providing fact-based content about the nature of mental health problems and addiction, treatment options, and their associated positive outcomes.
We do not intend for the information we give to be used in place of professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Addiction is a serious problem that requires immediate attention. Get Confidential Help Now. Call our 24h admissions line to get help – 0800 999 1083.
The Importance of Addiction Rehab
Rehab is a crucial step in reintegrating an addict back into society and weaning them off of their addiction. It is not the last stage since the addict will have to fight to stay sober for the rest of their lives. It gets better over time, but they all started with an intervention, detox, and then rehab, which is their final professional supervised treatment before reetering society.
It’s difficult to support a loved one who is battling addiction. A straight, heart-to-heart chat might sometimes be the first step towards rehabilitation.
However, when it comes to addiction, the person who is suffering from it sometimes finds it difficult to recognise and understand the problem. A more targeted strategy is frequently required. It’s possible that you’ll need to band together with others and launch a formal intervention.
Even though alcoholism and drug dependence are the most known forms of addiction, there are other types as well. The following are some examples of addictions that may require intervention:
Addicts are usually in denial about their condition and unwilling to seek treatment. They may also be unaware of the detrimental consequences of their actions on themselves and others.
An intervention provides an organised opportunity for your loved one to make adjustments before problems grow worse, and it can lead them to seek or accept treatment.
Addiction is a serious problem that requires immediate attention. Get Confidential Help Now. Call our 24h admissions line to get help – 0800 999 1083.
Rehab Treatment Facility
Different facilities may be more adapted to coping with specific types of addictions, such as opiates, heroin, cocaine or alcohol.
The most important component in any facility, and the golden rule in addiction rehabilitation, is that if someone does not want to get clean, they will not. It’s very hard to make someone change their way of life, especially if they’re not willing to and that’s where a successful intervention plays a crucial role.
Anyone who is devoted to recovery can benefit from the help of licenced addiction treatment specialists. All rehab centres offer various programmes, so picking the right one for you is crucial.
For the Family
Nobody likes to sit by and watch a loved one or best friend succumb to drug or alcohol abuse. When you’ve been watching your loved one fade away for years, it can weigh heavily on the environment, tainting everything.
Rehab appears to be the golden gate for many family members and friends of an addict. It’s the physical location where change will take place, and it looks like a brilliant beacon. However, if you’ve forced someone to go to rehab against their will, it will not work. The addict must truly want to get clean, even if it is due to ultimatums given during an intervention.
If your loved one is in an inpatient rehab programme, it will give you and your family time to recover from everything that’s happened. It is not selfish to feel hurt and mislead, as long as you recognise that your addicted loved one is going through something you will hopefully never fully know.
For the Patient
Going to rehab might appear traightforward at first sight, yet it is significantly more complex than you might think. Rehabs are more than just a large waiting rooms where you can have dinner while waiting to be free of your addiction.
It involves teaching you how to rebuild your life and helping you in developing mechanisms to ensure that after you’ve detoxed, you stay on the addiction-free path.
Rehab facilities offer different programmes, but some provide post-stay wellness checks that can last up to a year after you’ve been discharged. It all depends on the type of the addiction and needs of your loved one.
Going from detox to rehab can be a scary experience, especially if they will be staying in the inpatient facility until the addiction treatment is completed. However, the advantages exceed the disadvantages.
As strange as it may sound, habits are all about structure. Rehab teaches you how to develop a new framework from the ground up, including positive behaviours and everyday activities to keep yourself in check. You will relearn how to live a happy and fulfilling life without the burden of addiction.
Addiction is a serious problem that requires immediate attention. Get Confidential Help Now. Call our 24h admissions line to get help – 0800 999 1083.
Last Edited: September 14th, 2022
Clinically Reviewed: April 13, 2022
Clinical Reviewer
Michael
BACP accredited psychotherapist with 16 years experience working in mental health specialising in psychodynamic person-centred therapies treating those with a range of mental health disorders including anxiety, depression, OCD and Addiction.
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