Intervention Process

In a drug or alcohol intervention, family and friends take action to convince a loved one whom is struggling with an addiction that they need to change their lives for the sake of their own health and safety.  Interventions are becoming more and more common as addiction becomes more of an epidemic. Many have found great success in the process of organizing an intervention to help their loved ones afflicted with addiction, rather than punishing their loved one’s for struggling with either drugs or alcohol.

Holding an intervention for a loved one often is a last resort. Organizing an intervention shows you are genuinely worried about your loved one’s safety and are frustrated with their repetitive actions.

Here are some steps to follow when considering an intervention:

1. Realize that your loved one needs professional help and an intervention to get better. Don’t be embarrassed or scared. What you are doing for your loved one is a positive act of love and reinforcement.
2. Before intervening, get help from a professional interventionist, social worker, or doctor. The staff at GH Recovery Solutions has experience with these kinds of conversations and can help guide you through what to say and what you should avoid saying.
3. Allow your interventionist, social worker or doctor to direct you in the formation of an intervention team. This core group is usually made up of family members, close friends, co-workers, or children of the addicted individual.
4. Ensure everyone in the intervention group is on the same page with the intervention plan and its goals. Interventionists can help with the scheduling of a specific date, time, location, and an agenda. It is important to understand the topics and what each individual member of the group will say.
5. The best intentions of those taking part in the intervention can be lost in the tension that generally arises during an intervention. Have each person on the team write what they want to say beforehand.
6. Ensure your loved one understands boundaries. There have to be consequences in place in case the involved in the intervention refuses accepting the plan of action. Those consequences apply pressure to accept the intervention by demonstrating the severity of their addiction or alcoholic behaviors.
7. Conduct a practice intervention. Emotions almost always flow during an intervention. It is important that everyone participating in the intervention group understands what they can be expected. In order to ensure everything goes smoothly, rehearse the intervention beforehand.
8. Have a plan for treatment already established. Your professional interventionist in conjunction with the admissions team at GH Recovery Solutions will work with your family and friends to have every detail planned out, including transportation; so that when your loved one accepts the need for treatment, the transition to begin their treatment process is immediate.