Deciding to hold an addiction intervention for someone struggling with drugs or alcohol can be an extremely difficult decision. Although no one wants to see someone they love battling with substance abuse, deciding when to take the personal initiative to get them help is complicated. So when should you intervene with someone’s addiction? After they get arrested? After they overdose? When it finally starts affecting their job, family, and everyday life?
The answer is not always clear; however, there is one thing that is certain—addictions always get worse overtime. Although it can be difficult to take the first step towards getting something help, as soon as you recognize a loved one has an addiction, it is an appropriate time to intervene. It is perfectly normal to have doubts about holding an addiction intervention. If you are questioning intervening with someone you love, here is some guidance to help you continue moving forward.
- It is better to intervene sooner than later. It is a fact that addictions get worse over time. Although some people will experience short periods where they will attempt to “get better,” fully recovering from substance abuse takes extensive treatment, which can include multiple therapies and even medical detox. The longer you wait to intervene, the more likely you will talk yourself out of doing it until something extreme happens.
- Individuals struggling with an addiction can be manipulative. When someone is struggling with substance abuse and has refused to get help thus far, they will probably say anything to avoid treatment. Even if your loved one is promising they will stop abusing, make necessary changes, or get help “when the time is right”—if you know an addiction is present, the time to intervene is now. Denial is a common part of the addiction disease and you need to realize the abuser is not thinking logically. Addicts will find ways to convince those around them they do not have a problem so they can continue to use.
- Ask yourself, “Why wait?” Why wait to help someone get into treatment? Are you doing the individual any favors by putting off the inevitable? If you are waiting for the individual to hit rock bottom before intervening, it is important to realize that rock bottom can oftentimes be death. Why wait until more damage is done to your loved one’s life?
When an individual is struggling with an addiction it affects everyone around them. This can be a difficult time for both you and your loved one who is abusing. Although your mind may be filled with multiple doubts—it’s okay. Just realize you are doing the right thing by intervening to save your loved one’s physical health and future.
If you or a loved one is struggling with a drug or alcohol addiction contact us today. We offer the best rehabilitation programs in Emerald Coast to get individuals on the journey to recovery. Call today.
Should I Intervene an Addiction?
The high risk of addicts overdosing at any time makes an immediate intervention on someone addicted to drugs or alcohol absolutely essential. In fact, cardiac arrhythmia, respiratory depression and organ failure are just a few medical emergencies experienced by addicts who just recently started using and have yet to suffer chronic poor health. If you have a loved one who you think is simply experimenting with drugs, reconsider your state of denial and instead, consider an addiction intervention with our help.
When confronting someone you suspect of having a drug abuse problem does not convince that person to seek professional help, it may be time to stage an addiction intervention. Emerald Coast JourneyPure offers addiction intervention assistance guided by an experienced addiction intervention specialist who develops a plan to assemble family members and close friends for the purpose of confronting the addict. During an addiction intervention, the addict must listen to everyone in attendance describe their feelings about his or her addiction and how much pain the addict has caused them. The purpose of an addiction intervention is to let the addict understand that unless he accepts this offer of help, there will be consequences.
Addiction Intervention specialists preside over inventions to ensure these meetings remains stable and rationally conducted. In addition to the addict feeling resentful and trapped, family members and friends will be saying things to the addict they have always wanted to say. Raw and intense, emotions emerging at an addiction intervention could prevent the goal of the intervention from being achieved without the experience and insight provided by an interventionist.
Although difficult and often traumatic for everyone involved, interventions are necessary when a substance abuser is slowly killing themselves due to a severe addiction. However, if you are thinking of having an intervention for a loved one, be aware that there are only two ways an addiction intervention can end – with the addict accepting help or with the addict choosing to accept the consequences of losing the support of family and friends. While both endings to an addiction intervention are equally possible, both represent a turning point in the addict’s life that could eventually lead to recovery, sobriety and peace for everyone involved.
How to Intervene With an Addiction
If the interventionist does not think a confrontational approach will work because the addict is extremely defensive or hostile, another technique called the Systemic Intervention Model may be used instead of the Johnson Model. The SIM involves the family, a therapist and the interventionist meeting together to discuss how some family members may be enabling the addict by providing money, food, transportation, clothes, etc. The addict is not allowed to attend this meeting since it focuses on changing dysfunctional behaviors of the addict’s family and friends rather than confronting the addict. Instead, the therapist and interventionist provide counseling to those who care about the addict so they learn about behaviors that encourage the addict to seek help for their disease.
An approach like this is considered solution-focused rather than denial-focused. The emphasis on problem behaviors contained in the Johnson Model is passed by for an emphasis on interacting with the addict in ways that promote a more naturally developed inclination to seek help in a treatment program.
Interventionists have two primary goals when deciding on which intervention technique would work best: repairing the psychological and emotional damage done to the family and convincing the addict they have a disease requiring intensive and long-term treatment. With years of experience and the unique ability to communicate and empathize with addicts, Emerald Coast JourneyPure interventionists can help you establish an intervention for a loved one who is suffering from a substance or behavioral addiction and provide the best recovery treatment programs available to give your loved one another chance at experiencing a sober, productive life.
When to intervene with an addiction is difficult for loved ones of an addict to determine without the help of professional addiction therapists. Following a successful intervention, your loved one will be given counseling, psychotherapy, appropriate medications and group counseling to address their addiction while a client at Emerald Coast JourneyPure. Please contact us today if you think an intervention is essential to helping a loved one defeat their addiction.
