All addicts have the choice to say “no” to drugs and alcohol, but this decision is never easy to make. Self-loathing and self-hate are just as deadly and addictive as any chemical substance, and addicts can continuously suffer from these negative feelings. In some cases, “tough love” can be the only effective first step towards healing. Sometimes, family members and friends have to take the initiative to guide the addict towards recovery through a planned intervention comes to mind.
Interventions are popular and sometimes difficult methods for breaking addicts from their radical behavior. Short-term and long-term addicts will deny having an illness at all and may grow aggressive as the last effort against members of the intervention group. Sometimes, an intervention works. Sometimes, it does not. Interventions might not always ensure a smooth recovery, but they can be an effective first step.
What Exactly Is an Intervention?
At its core, an intervention serves as a form of pre-counseling motivational therapy or family therapy, between an addict and their relatives (or friends). It’s highly recommended that interventions involve practicing doctors, intervention specialists, and drug counselors and should cover three tiers of action:
- Expose the addict to their dangerous and destructive behavior and the effects of this behavior on relationships
- Provide an established plan for counseling, treatment, or recovery to the addict
- Finalize with distinctive action plans for each member of the intervention, including actions that will be taken if the addict does not comply.
Stages of an Intervention
Every intervention will vary, depending on the severity of the addiction. Before developing an intervention plan, it is critical to research different options for treatment, therapy, and counseling and to communicate with a healthcare professional. This way, every member of the group will be well-informed and prepared to counter the addict’s behavior and justifications for their addiction.
Guidelines for staging a professional, organized, and successful intervention include:
- Seeking out an intervention specialist to facilitate the group. These professionals are trained to break through an addict’s wall of denial and administer helpful advice. An intervention should never be held without a trained intervention specialist, as they are the only individual qualified to handle the potentially violent reactions of an addict.
- Building a Support Team of People Closely Connected to the Addict. Members of the group should only include close family members, friends, spouses, or coworkers.
- Providing motivation and realization by explaining the situation to the addict. Drug addicts exist in a state of denial and require that extra “push” to understand their problem.
- Selecting a safe, private location to conduct the intervention. This should take place in a comforting and relaxing place that the addict is familiar with.
The steps you take after an intervention are just as important as those you took before and during it. It’s vital that you seek out a source of treatment immediately and the team at Asana Recovery is ready to help you or your loved ones on the path to recovery. Contact us at 949-438-4504 today to start your journey.
