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.

Each person at the drug intervention will have a chance to share a personal experience they had with the subject of the intervention when that person was under the influence and behaving in a hurtful, unhealthy or unsafe manner. This achieves the first goal: showing the abuser the negative impact on those they love of their addiction to drugs and alcohol.

The second goal of an intervention – getting your loved one into treatment – may only be achieved with a significant negative consequence should they refuse. A spouse may tell their abuser partner that he or she will file for divorce, or ask for a separation; family members may tell their loved one that they will have to move out; an employer may tell an abuser that they will lose their job if they refuse to enter rehab. In other words, the consequence must be significant enough to get the abuser’s attention, and everyone must be prepared to follow through in the event that your loved one chooses not to go into treatment. Backing down, offering more time or a second chance to get it right without rehab is not an option. Medical issues like drug addiction will only see recovery through medical treatment like drug rehab. Period.

If your loved one chooses to enter rehab, you must be prepared to send them immediately – not a few days later, not next week, not next month. You should have a place ready and waiting for your loved one immediately at the end of the intervention. You should have all travel arrangements made and a packed bag by the door. Waiting is not an option. Rehab must happen now.

12 Palms Recovery Center is here to help you through the difficult process of helping your loved one get into rehab. Our interventionists are call 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to help families seeking help for their loved ones. They will work with family members to learn and understand the exact nature of their loved ones’ addiction and behaviors, and create a plan of recovery that starts with confronting the addict about their drug abuse history and how it has affected their family members. 


If you have any questions or would like assistance with the intervention process, please don’t wait. Contact us at 12 Palms today.