Help a loved one by planning an intervation

What Is an Intervention?

An intervention is a professionally directed face-to-face meeting between a substance abuser and people who have been affected by that person’s abuse-generally family, friends and sometimes employers and coworkers.

The goal of an intervention is to motivate a substance abuser to seek help with his or her drug and/or alcohol problem.

How to Do an Intervention

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Process for Conducting an Intervention

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1. Gather together important people in the substance abuser’s life. These can include family members, close friends, employers or coworkers, and religious advisors.
2. Meet with a professional who will direct the intervention. This person could be a therapist, substance use counselor or interventionist. This professional will educate the intervention group on substance abuse, what to expect during and after the intervention, and how to communicate your messages to the abuser.
3. Finally, the professional will help everyone organize a meeting with the substance abuser. Concerned individuals will express their love and care for the user, how the person’s substance use has negatively impacted them, and that they will no longer overlook the harm that the user’s substance problem is causing. They will urge the user to admit that their substance use is a problem, that they need help, and that they will seek help immediately.

These interventions can have significant implications for relationships, which is why having a professional involved can be extremely beneficial. The goal of an intervention is to motivate the user to get help with their substance use problem immediately! A promise to stop using is not enough.

Intervention Tips

Thika Counseling Home – Intervention team offers several tips for staging a drug or alcohol intervention:

• Do not wait for your loved one to “bottom out.”
• Use “I” statements (for example, “When you get drunk at home, I feel afraid.”).
• Share specific incidents.
• Identify objections and denials that you might expect to hear from the user and be prepared to address them.
• Be specific with the consequences if the user refuses to get help, and be prepared to follow through with them (for example, “If you will not enter treatment, I will no longer live in the same house as you.”).
• Rehearse the intervention.
• Have a treatment option selected so that the user does not delay seeking help.

Interventions do not work for every family or individual. Talking with a professional about your situation will help you determine whether an intervention is the right course of action.

Warning Signs of Addiction

If you are uncertain whether an intervention may be necessary for your loved one or family member, consider the following warning signs of addiction that may indicate the need for an intervention:

•    Significant changes in weight.
•    Poor personal hygiene.
•    Fights with friends and family members.
•    Promises to get help that are not kept.
•    Withdrawal from family functions.
•    Untruthful accounts of whereabouts.
•    Evidence of theft or other crimes in support of ongoing substance abuse.
•    Denial of drug and/or alcohol use.

5 Intervention Don’ts

•    Don’t confront someone when they aren’t sober.
•    Don’t conduct the intervention in public.
•    Don’t yell at the person – remain calm.
•    Don’t include young children.
•    Don’t try to do it alone – involve a professional.

Types of Interventions

Several intervention services are available, and the type of drug intervention service you select will depend on your situation.

• For instance, if you are concerned that a coworker may have a drug or alcohol abuse problem, a corporate intervention may be a viable solution, where only employers and coworkers are present.
• Alternately, if you have a family member who is currently battling addiction, a family drug intervention may better suit your situation. This involves only the immediate family in the intervention process.
• Intervention services are also designed specifically to assist teens. These include Teen Intervene, which involves a therapist meeting alone with the teen at risk before the entire family meets together to discuss the teen’s substance use.

Intervention Models

In addition to these services, a number of different intervention approaches are available. Two commonly used approaches are:

• The Johnson Intervention – The user is confronted by a group of people who care about them, and they discuss the negative consequences of the person’s abuse, including what will happen if the person does not seek treatment. One study found that the Johnson Model had a higher rate of success compared to four other intervention types.
• The ARISE Intervention – A less confrontational approach, where the user is involved in the intervention process from the beginning. This style emphasizes compassion and the group healing of both the substance user and the ones who care about them so that everyone works toward recovery together.

Risks of Doing an Intervention

Arranging an intervention does not work for every situation. The process can be difficult and painful for everyone involved. Sometimes, the plan can backfire and the substance user may end up feeling alienated and distant from the ones who care about them.
These risks should be carefully considered before deciding to organize an intervention. The help of a trained professional can help mitigate these risks. Interventionists are experienced in the risks and struggles that come with interventions, and they know how to best prepare to avoid these negative consequences as much as possible.

What to Do if an Intervention Doesn’t Work

• Take a step back. If an intervention backfires and the substance user feels anger or resentment toward those involved, it is best to let the relationships cool down before trying to make contact again. If you have clearly stated direct consequences of the user’s refusal to seek treatment, you must follow through.
• Reestablish contact. Once the user has had time to decompress, you may want to try and get in contact with them again. They may need reaffirmation that you care about them and their safety, but you must also emphasize the importance of treatment. Sometimes another intervention meeting can be helpful as long as the user is ready and willing to listen.
• Try a different approach. Instead of simply telling them to get treatment, approach them with specific programs and specific benefits of treatment. The goal is to motivate action to treatment, not promises to stop using.