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Partly because of the popularity of the A&E show Intervention, people who want to stage a substance abuse intervention have been on the rise in the last decade.
The overall objective of a substance abuse intervention is confronting an addict in a way which is non-threatening and allowing them to see their self-destructive behavior, and how it is affecting themselves and the people who are around them. The primary goal of interventions is for the addict to listen to what is being said and accept treatment.
Though it is a difficult step to take, calling for an intervention is one of the best things that you can do for someone who has addiction problems. Knowing what you can say and do can be challenging, particularly if you have never participated in an intervention before. While it can be helpful to have a professional interventionist present when the intervention is taking place, families sometimes prefer to do it on their own.
Here are some of the most common mistakes that people make when they are staging a substance abuse intervention, and how to avoid them.
Skipping a rehearsal
If you are getting the help of a professional interventionist, holding a rehearsal is crucial. At this time, everyone will sit down together and talk about what will happen at the intervention. This should include:
- What will be said
- How the addict will arrive at the intervention
- What will be next in regards to treatments
Families unfortunately often skip the rehearsal because they feel it is unnecessary. However, it is at this time than the details of the intervention are sorted out and a plan is created on how the intervention might be executed. Regardless of if you are using a professional interventionist or you are doing it by yourself, a rehearsal is the main key to being prepared.
Not inviting the most important people’s
In order to have a successful intervention, it is vital that you invite the right people. This means inviting the people whose opinions matter the most to the addict, the people that they respect and the people who are dependent on the addict to support them.
Having too many people attending an intervention can be overwhelming, but make sure that the most important people are thee. The goal is for the person the intervention is being staged for to felt comfortable, and having the people who are most important to them there will do that.
Inviting people who might ruin the process
Just as there are some people who you need to make sure are there, there are some people who you should not invite
Avoid inviting people who have a history of attacking your loved one, or those who make the addict feel upset. The people who attend the intervention are those who raise up your loved one and support them and their recovery journey.
Attacking the addicted
Family interventions are emotion. Even if you start with the best of intentions in mind, it is easy for the situation to start getting out of hand. If you find the intervention is not progressing well, you may find yourself saying things or using a tone that might make your loved one feel like they are being attacked.
Avoid accusatory statements which make the addict feel targeted or blamed. Instead, focus on how you feel about the situation the addict is going through and express your concerns about the danger to their well-being their actions are having. Talk about how worried you are, and how much you love them.
Caving in
It is hard to stop defending a person when you have been doing it for years, but the point of staging an intervention is in getting your loved on the help which they need. One of the goals is in expressing your feelings, and it is vital to remain strong at an intervention.
It is not uncommon for families to either cave in or defend their loved on in an intervention – particularly when a professional interventionist is there. But doing this is not helpful to your loved one and will not assist them in moving forward into recovery.
Not having a solid roadmap
What is the purpose of the intervention? Getting your loved one the help that they need.
Remember, though, this is not a full understanding of what is required after the intervention. Will they go to a treatment center? Go to group meetings like AA or NA? Or something different?
If you are staging an intervention, inpatient treatment is usually the best course of action. You should have this prepared before the intervention, so that the addict can go immediately after they have seen that they have a problem.