Recently we published an infographic called “Your Baby on Drugs” to illustrate the harmful effects that drug and substance abuse while pregnant can have on the welfare of both the mother and the child to be born.

An intervention can be a powerful tool a family can use to encourage someone who is abusing drugs or alcohol to seek the treatment they need. However, a poorly executed intervention can actually make matters worse. Here are 5 things not to do during an intervention.

1. Don’t plan an intervention without a professional.

Television shows glamorize interventions and have put them in the spotlight. However, it is important that you don’t move forward with an intervention without contacting an experienced interventionist. A professional can help ensure that you create a safe environment and give you the best chance at a successful outcome.

2. Don’t wing it.

A successful intervention is never spontaneous. Make sure you give yourself plenty of time to choose a time and a place for the intervention to take place. It is important that everyone involved plan what they want to say and agree upon the goal and consequences if the addict does not agree to get help.

How to Plan a Successful Intervention

What can you do when someone you love is abusing alcohol or drugs? At first, you may just want to wish the problem away. But addiction is a chronic and progressive disease, and doing nothing can be a dangerous decision. For many, confronting the problem means confronting an addicted loved one – and an intervention is a way to show just how devastating their problem is to family and friends.

An intervention is a professionally directed process resulting in a face to face meeting of family members and friends of someone who abusing alcohol or drugs. Intervention helps the person make the connection between his/her substance abuse and the problems he/she are having in life. The goal of intervention is for him/her to accept help — and begin the road to recovery.

A professionally-led intervention, like those assisted by the caring staff at 12 Palms Recovery Center, can be an extremely effective in convincing a loved one they need help.

A rehab intervention effectively demonstrates the depth and severity of substance abuse and drug abuse to someone you love; it can help them get the help they need before it’s too late. Identifying addictive behavior and offering rehab as a solution are the goals of an rehab intervention. It is crucial that an intervention is not presented as a judgment or indictment of the person living with addiction.

It’s also important to remember that addiction is not a character flaw. It is a medical disease and as such, requires medical treatment. Although the careless behavior of those addicted to drugs and alcohol has very real and painful emotional consequences for those who love them, it is important that the rehab intervention not turn into a long blame session. Rather, the driving force of an intervention should be to say the most effective things in the most effective manner, to convince your loved one of the crucial need to enter rehab and receive medical treatment.