Watching a loved one struggling with addiction is painful. You see them making bad decisions, wasting their life away, and just wonder why they don’t decide to stop. Maybe you’ve tried pointing out their addiction only for them to deny there’s a problem. It can be hard not knowing how else to get them to face reality.
Maybe it’s time for an intervention. An intervention is a planned process through which family, friends, or those close to someone dealing with addiction take proactive steps to persuade them to seek treatment.
Unlike the interventions popularized in TV shows, interventions in the real world are not meant to be dramatic. They need to be well-thought-out with the clear goal of getting a person to enter rehab or addiction treatment.
Here’s what you need to know before attending an intervention for an addict:
It needs careful planning
A successful intervention requires careful planning to get everything right. You need to decide who will participate, what will be said, and what you hope to achieve through the intervention.
Educate and prepare yourself
Additionally, you need to educate yourself on addiction beforehand. This will give you the confidence to speak to your loved one about the consequences and dangers they face if they don’t drop their addiction. Being prepared also allows you to stay calm during the intervention.
It’s best to engage an interventionist
If you don’t know where to start with an intervention, it’s advisable to work with a professional intervention specialist. This person will help you come up with realistic goals for the intervention, help participants know what to expect, and will also help guide the process to keep everything on track.
Create a safe, non-judgmental space
Once the intervention is underway, participants should strive to create a supportive, non-judgmental atmosphere. Calmly address your loved one, pointing out how their addiction has affected you without assigning blame or criticism. If they become defensive or angry, avoid emotional reactions by remaining calm and rational.
Work together with other participants to achieve your goal
All participants in the intervention should be on the same page about the intended outcome. This helps keep the process moving forward, avoiding distractions and emotional outbursts. Remember the main goal of the intervention is to get your loved one to seek treatment as soon as possible so don’t give them too much time to think things through.
We Can Help
Once your loved one agrees to treatment, you can refer them to Impact Outpatient Program in Kentucky. We have the resources to help people overcome addiction and reconstruct their lives. Our treatment programs include intensive outpatient rehab, partial hospitalization, dual diagnosis as well as outpatient treatment.
We aim to make our programs as accessible as possible and those who can’t attend treatment can use the virtual telemedicine option to keep up with their therapy sessions.
Contact us today and let us help you get your life back.