The Truth About Interventions

We have all seen the TV show “Intervention” in which the cameras follow around a person with an addiction for a week, leading up to a confrontation by family and friends as they try to get their loved one to submit to treatment.

The truth is that those methods do not work. Talking to someone you love about their alcohol or drug abuse can be uncomfortable, especially if the individual does not want to listen to what friends and family have to say.

Practices That Don’t Work

The purpose of an intervention is to encourage an addict or alcoholic to get the help they need for their substance abuse. Practices, like the ones on television, generally include some type of confrontation or attack on the person with the addiction. In most cases, the family member and friends will tell the individual the impact their drug or alcohol abuse is having on them and there are usually ultimatums given during the event.

There is nothing useful about a confrontational attack on a loved one regarding their drug and alcohol abuse. These types of interventions only prove to create a division between the addict and their loved ones. Rather than lead them to seek assistance, the opposite will most likely occur and they may fall deeper into their substance abuse.

The Purpose Is To Motivate Change

An intervention is supposed to motivate a change in the behavior of the individual engaging in alcohol or drug abuse. While the original intent may have been to intervene in the individual’s life in a nonthreatening manner, many have watched episodes play out on TV or you may have actually seen firsthand that they can become a source of contention.

Interventions that Work

There is no one size fits all when it comes to interventions. They are most effective when the person with the addiction wants to change. Forcing someone to go to detox and rehab treatment if they do not want to be there will not accomplish anything because they will most likely return to their substance abuse. The simple truth is that in order to help someone, they have to want to be helped.

Interventions that work help the addict identify what purpose the substance abuse is filling in their life. Another effective component is for the people around the addict to stop enabling them. Understanding the dynamic of the relationship is critical to being able to help the addict. Another effective tool is to show compassion but not engage the addict when they are exhibiting addiction behavior.

Watching a family member struggle with an addiction to alcohol or drugs is frustrating and can leave others feeling helpless. If the person with the addiction happens to be you, you may realize that you need help, but at the same time not feel that you are in the right frame of mind to get the assistance you need.