The 12 Palms rehab blog publishes weekly addiction related articles directed to help and guide families and addicts on the addiction treatment and recovery.
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. If you decide to organize an intervention, here are some important tips that may help to improve your chances of a positive outcome.
Plan in advance - 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. Don’t “wing it” – 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. Many hold a practice session to work out the process. Also, don’t forget to plan transportation to a treatment facility and have a packed bag of personal items ready so your loved one can immediately begin drug or alcohol addiction treatment.
Involve close friends, family and colleagues – In general, there should be at least three people at an intervention, but rarely more than ten. Invite those who have a personal relationship with the person and are genuinely concerned for his/her well-being. Don't include anyone who also participates in the negative behavior or in any way enables it. Most importantly, invite people you trust and whom the person is likely to listen to.
Stay positive – Drug or alcohol addiction is not only devastating to the person struggling with the disease, but also to friends, family members, employers and other with whom they come in contact. It may be difficult, but it’s important that you stay as positive and nonjudgmental when speaking during the intervention. Relay the facts of your experience with his/her addiction while letting he/she know that you love them and want nothing more than to see them succeed with treatment.
Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst – Like most who are dealing with a loved one battling the disease of addiction, you probably want nothing more than to see them accept a ride to a treatment facility that can help. But you can’t wish for a perfect intervention It is likely it won’t go exactly as planned – and it may take some time for your loved one to agree to treatment-- if at all. Be sure to have lots of water and snacks on hand in the event everyones need to stay and wait for him/her to be clearheaded enough to understand what is happening. If you fear physical violence, make sure that everyone is safe and that the room is clear of anything that can be used as a weapon.
If you are planning an intervention for a loved one, a caring professional from the 12 Palms Recovery Center can help your chances of a successful outcome. Contact an experienced staff member today to start planning your intervention, and a future for your loved ones free from drugs or alcohol.
“If someone wants to get sober, this is a wonderful place to do it...12 Palms saved my life.”
— Fred
“When an addict is finally willing to admit that they are completely powerless over their addiction and need help recovering, they are left with a choice.”
