Author: John Carter
How to Stage an Intervention for Alcoholism
Have a plan in place as soon as your loved one is willing to get help. Include a few options, depending on the level of care that they need. Ask your doctor or an addiction specialist if you’re not sure where to start.
Keep in mind that your loved one may know they have a drinking problem, but is unwilling to come to terms with it. Sometimes an alcohol intervention brings up many unwanted feelings, which can be an emotional experience for all of the parties involved. For instance, family members may explain how their loved one’s excessive drinking has resulted in damaged relationships or unmet needs. This can be difficult for someone to hear and may produce a sense of sadness, anxiety, or even anger. Although it’s not always easy, the sooner you intervene, the better the chances for a successful recovery. Instead, think of starting a conversation where you’re on their team.
They also may be resentful and accuse you of betrayal or being a hypocrite. Keep in mind that strong emotions are part of your loved one’s addiction. The process of organizing the intervention and the intervention itself can cause conflict, anger and resentment, even among family and friends who know your loved one needs their help. People who struggle with addiction often won’t accept their situation and don’t want to seek treatment. They may not accept the negative effects their behavior has on themselves and others.
Before staging an alcohol intervention with your loved one, be sure to think about what you will say and who will be involved. An alcohol counselor or other medical professional can provide you with information about the intervention process and guide you along the way. An alcohol intervention is an opportunity for someone to recognize and get treatment for their alcohol use disorder (AUD). While some interventions take place when severe or life-threatening consequences arise, others are done soon after the warning signs of alcoholism are identified.
An alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a progressive, chronic disease. Because of this, you shouldn’t sit back and wait for the condition to get better on its own. In fact, waiting to intervene can cause more damage to a person’s overall health and wellness. But don’t be surprised if they’re not willing to get help after one or two chats.
Remind your loved one about the happier times in their life when alcohol didn’t control their emotions and health. With the the help of alcohol treatment providers, they can take back control of their life and their happiness. If you are planning to hold an intervention with a loved one, your next question may be what their alcohol addiction treatment program will consist of and what it will be like. Several types of treatment programs for alcohol use disorders (AUD) are available. After an intervention, family members and friends follow through with their promises, such as not enabling their loved one’s drinking problem by financially supporting them.
Prepare for the Intervention
We’ll be able to tell you if your insurance provider is in network with an American Addiction Centers treatment facility. It can be hard to know how to stage an intervention for alcoholism. A successful intervention must be planned carefully to work as planned.
- Focus on the emotional, physical, personal and professional problems that have occurred due to their excessive drinking habits.
- And don’t hold an intervention if they’re drinking or are drunk.
- An addiction professional will think about what’s going on in your loved one’s life, suggest the best approach, and guide you in what type of treatment and follow-up plan is likely to work best.
It’s important that an individual does not feel blamed or attacked during the conversation. This will only cause them to put their guard up and refuse to listen to what is being said. Reach out to a treatment provider for free today for immediate assistance. There are several models of substance use disorder interventions. An intervention gives your loved one a chance to make changes before things get even worse.
Alternative medicine
Sometimes a direct, heart-to-heart conversation can start the road to recovery. But when it comes to addiction, the person with the issue often struggles to see there’s an issue. You may need to join forces with others and take action through a formal intervention. If you or a loved one is ready to overcome an alcohol addiction, reach out today. Treatment providers can connect you with programs that provide the tools to help you get and stay sober. During the conversation with your loved one, give examples to support your concerns.
In cases such as these, it’s important to remember that your loved one must be fully invested for recovery to work. You can stage an intervention and try to help, but the final decision is theirs alone. Once you have established the specifics about the intervention including individuals involved and topics to be discussed, it is time to schedule a time and place for the meeting. Realize that an intervention can trigger a wide range of emotions, so prepare yourself for both a good or bad reaction. Most planned interventions—in which family members, friends and other attendees are fully educated and trained for the situation—are highly successful. On average, about 90 percent of loved ones struggling with an AUD will commit to getting treatment after an intervention.
Coping and support
This is why many professionals recommend practicing what you will say or writing it down ahead of time in order to keep the conversation on topic. Additionally, it is often recommended to conduct an intervention in the presence of a counselor or specialist if your loved one has a history of extreme mood swings or violence. If the conversation begins to take a turn for the worse, a professional will be able to mitigate the situation and keep everyone safe. Instead, urge them to talk about the pros and cons of their drinking. That can help them find their own reasons to change their habits. If you’re not sure when your loved one drinks, consider holding the intervention first thing in the morning.
Even if an alcohol intervention is not successful at first, an individual may reach out for help at a later date when they’re ready to get help. It’s important to show your loved one that they are not alone on the journey to recovery – an alcohol intervention may be exactly what they need to save their life. An addiction professional helps figure out the scope of the issue and what treatment options would be right. Treatment options can vary in intensity and scope, and they occur in various settings.
Steps Involved in Intervention Planning
For example, Mayo Clinic offers various addiction services and has a thorough team approach to treating addiction. An intervention team usually includes 4 to 6 people who are important in your loved one’s life — people your loved one likes, respects or depends on. This may include, for example, a best friend, adult relatives or a member of your loved one’s faith community. Your intervention professional can help you figure out who should be on your team. It’s hard helping a loved one who is struggling with any type of addiction.