Interventions

The only thing as difficult as dealing with substance abuse or drug or alcohol addiction is having to watch a loved one go through it. Often, even though it may seem so clear on the outside, it could be difficult for them to come to the reality of it all. They may be in denial concerning their drug or alcohol addiction. This can be difficult because one of the first steps in seeking addiction treatment help is acknowledging that there is a problem.

You may be experiencing all kinds of fear and heartache. While the need to act quickly may be necessary, it is also important to take a breath and evaluate the best course of action. The worst thing to do is allow oneself to react in a way that is more destructive than the alcohol and drug addiction itself. That being said, the best course of action is to approach your loved ones or family members with grace and understanding; they may not recognize that there is even an alcoholism and drug dependence problem.

Regardless of how difficult all of this may be, the reality is that somebody is struggling with substance abuse problems and they need drug abuse help as soon as possible. Not only that, but your family members may be suffering as well, and it is just as imperative that you all receive and accept help through intervention for drug addiction and attend family therapy sessions. Your help may come when you get your loved ones the addiction treatment assistance they require at our treatment center.

The effects of substance use disorder on an individual can be immensely detrimental; as mentioned before, this could not only harm them but the entire family as well. Yet the question remains as to whether or not there is anything you and the ones you love can do about it before taking further, more drastic action to overcome addiction at an intervention site to help a loved one’s life. Thankfully there is a way.

If your loved one is struggling with alcohol or drug addiction, it may be time to stage an intervention with intervention professionals and intervention specialists. This is a good way to let them know that you understand, care, and only want them to be open to receiving the help they need for their drug use and addictive behaviors.

What Is an Intervention?

An actual intervention is a planned, strategic conversation between someone struggling with substance use disorder and their loved ones. It can help one understand how their addiction is affecting those that love and care for them the most such as family members or friends. Sometimes it seems as though there is nothing anybody can say to change anybody’s mind, but changing their perspective is not the ultimate goal; rather, it is bringing the problem to their attention to want to seek treatment.

Regardless of how things may seem, nobody chooses to struggle with addiction or become a drug addict. Addiction is a disease and should be treated as such – with gentle and loving care to the person struggling with drug and alcohol use. The truth is a series of ill-informed or careless choices have led to this alcohol or drug problem and circumstance. The right choices must be made moving forward so that they can pursue a life of recovery and stability at the treatment facility.

Acted upon by family, friends, and an experienced professional, a formal intervention could be the correct course of action in pursuing assistance for a loved one wrestling with substance abuse. A formal intervention is not a task met with ease.

Often, family intervention is very difficult to complete due to the emotional weight they throw onto those involved; it is, however, the best way to start the process of finding help and a treatment plan. A family intervention is needed for those reasons.

It is crucial that the setting of the intervention be comfortable for everyone involved on the intervention team. Believe it or not, this goes a long way in contributing to a feeling that a loved one is heard and understood. The main goal at the treatment centers is to have the individual struggling to accept treatment. After all, the goal of a successful intervention is to ultimately help them see how much others close to them carefully.

All in all, successful interventions are used in efforts to bring a substance use disorder problem and serious mental illness to one’s attention. Loved ones and skilled professionals in the drug intervention group seek to communicate the negative effects that their substance use problem is having on them and those surrounding them. The ultimate goal is to help persuade them to seek out professional help by way of an intervention specialist and group intervention.

How Do People Become Addicted?

When an individual starts engaging in drug or alcohol abuse, there could be any number of circumstances that led to their decision to use it for the first time. The issues sometimes even go much deeper than pursuing a good feeling. Oftentimes, people who struggled with substance abuse initially were used in efforts to cope with a pre-existing mental health disorder. Regardless, there is a much deeper issue beyond the substance abuse problem or symptoms of addiction.

The chemical signals in people’s brains are strongly affected when they use drugs, particularly the pleasure receptors. Because of this, emotions, actions, and even thoughts become distorted. Typically, these centers of pleasure allow someone to enjoy entertainment, food, or activities. When a high is reached, dopamine rushes to this part of the brain, triggering it to let the body know that it has felt something it enjoys. Unfortunately, there will never be a high as strong as this one.

As a result of the first high, the user inevitably feels as though they need more of a substance every time they use it. This is because they are not reaching the high they desire; nothing ever comes close to that first high. Because of this, drug dependence on the substance escalates, leading to alcohol and drug addiction. The user has now been compromised.

It is imperative that before a drug intervention group is staged, those involved educate themselves on substance abuse and how somebody ends up in a place where they’re dependent on a drug. This will go a long way with the one who is struggling. Because of this, they will see that their loved ones are doing their best to understand what is going on in their minds and body.

When Is a Drug Intervention and Alcohol Intervention Necessary?

A drug intervention or alcohol intervention may be necessary if your loved one:

• Displays secretive behavior
• Experiences drastic weight loss
• Becomes moody
• Has a lack of motivation or energy
• Becomes depressed or anxious
• Is experiencing monetary issues that raise suspicion
• Expresses unwarranted aggression
• Has become a danger to themselves and others

When a loved one is struggling with substance abuse or drug abuse, it is difficult to discern when an intervention team, intervention groups, or professional interventionist is necessary. That’s why it is important to look out for these symptoms. Sometimes, people may refuse to acknowledge the reality of the situation, and that is why they must understand why you and many others are concerned about their well-being.

What Are the Benefits of Addiction Intervention?

There are a variety of benefits of addiction intervention for patients struggling with drug or alcohol addiction at our treatment centers. One of the main benefits is the professional interventionist acts as a biased individual who can hear the sides of every person involved.

If there is one factor that is largely recognized of the person struggling is they have been able to perfect their overall ways to keep their addiction going despite the consequences.

As the addiction professional engages in the intervention process, the full picture of addiction will be further brought into the light. Some intervention specialists engage in case management. A plethora of benefits derived from implementing the third party to manage the following steps:

• After-care therapy and support
• The process of admission to treatment
• Discharge planning

Overall, the interventionist will act as a sounding board, not just for the person struggling, but the loved ones. They may be coming to grips with the major changes to the whole family dynamic that occurred before, during, and after treatment.

If you or a loved one has been struggling with addiction, the first step is to reach out for help and advice from an addiction professional. An intervention professional might be the right choice to help an individual move their family into recovery.

What Is the Role of a Professional Interventionist?

Phase 1: Initial Inquiry of the Intervention Process

The intervention process generally begins with an inquiry into how the loved one who engages in drug or alcohol use can be helped. During this process, the professional interventionist will seek to identify several behaviors and roles for every family member involved. Furthermore, this will assist in identifying what each person’s willingness to follow through with the entire process is.

During the consultation process, the intervention is explained. Family members are then allowed to discuss and interact with their thoughts and feelings about moving forward.

Phase 2: Intervention Assessment and Scheduling

Once the family has agreed to commit to the intervention process, the 2-3 days typically needed for the intervention are scheduled. There will be an assessment packet that utilizes DSM-5, ASI, and ASAM criteria sent out to the family. During this time, treatment plans are also discussed.

The treatment plans are created based on the data that the family provides. The family will also receive numerous guidelines for the intervention letters to be written out by the loved ones. From there, family members are encouraged to spend time focusing on their letters.

There should be reassurance provided by the professional interventionist throughout the process. It’s expected that the family can receive last-minute jitters, and that is completely normal. If there are any questions, the professional interventionist should be able to answer them.

Phase 3: Interventionist Arrival and Family Education

During this specific meeting, the interventionist will discuss the situation utilizing the addiction intervention manual as more of a guide. By understanding addiction, the family will better be able to understand what the person struggling is going through. The overall process is to assist the families in seeing the effects of addiction on their behavior and therefore being introduced to strategies geared to assist the person in receiving help. Once the family members can see the benefits of providing comfort, they will begin to feel more confident in setting boundaries for themselves.

Phase 4: In-Person Intervention

During this phase, the interventionist takes on the role of the facilitator by directing the overall intervention process. As the family is brought into the room, they are asked to read the letters they wrote for the individual. By this time, the family should have the following ready:

• Decisions made on boundaries
• Preparation for the intervention
• Follow through regardless of the outcome

Phase 5: Acceptance or Refusal of Help

There are only two outcomes that are possible. The person struggling will either accept or decline help. If the person accepts help, they are escorted that day to treatment. If the individual declines help and the family agrees on explaining boundaries and consequences, the interventionist will regroup and process what happened with the family.

Phase 6: Continued Support from Interventionist Team

Whatever the outcome, it’s vital that the family can handle emotions accordingly. If the person struggling accepts or declines, the family will need support.

Whether that is support on how to properly manage the refusal or assistance on undergoing emotional detox and separation anxiety once they depart. It’s important to remember that even positive change can result in uncomfortable emotions. Even though more help will be needed if the person struggling says yes, the family will need support regardless.

Where To Go From Here

If your loved one is struggling with substance abuse, it may take a planning process and time to stage an intervention, let alone family interventions. Thankfully, some intervention professionals can guide you in the right direction. There are a variety of benefits to having an intervention professional set up the proper intervention. They are considered addiction professionals and exceed in successful interventions.

You can also hire the services of a professional interventionist to help with an effective and brief intervention. They can help you and your family by taking on some of the more difficult planning tasks since interventions are considered a carefully planned process.

They will also lead the intervention. Seeking assistance, needing to attend a treatment program, or having treatment programs available is never anything to be ashamed of. It may just save the life of someone you care for.

At Sana Lake Recovery Center, we know how difficult it is to face the reality of addiction, and that’s precisely why we are here to help. When intervening, it is important that those who struggle with substance abuse feel as though they are understood and met with grace by any adult family member or friend; the last thing they need is to feel attacked or like they aren’t able to refuse treatment or don’t have a choice too.

It is our mission to prepare those who feel as though intervention is necessary, equipping them with the right tools to get the job done. We are committed to helping your loved ones realize how their addiction has impacted not only themselves but those around them like their family members that care for them.

Drug addiction can truly ruin people’s lives. Sadly, not only does it affect them, but it also impacts their friends and family. It has the power to tear apart well-founded relationships and enable discord among loved ones. This is something that we are committed to preventing, and/or mending from the person struggling.

At Sana Lake Recovery Center, we believe in coming alongside those who struggle with addiction with treatment options, as well as their families and loved ones. We aim to nurture, encourage, and guide them into a life of recovery and stability.

Treating each patient is a complex process due to their unique, individual needs; there is no one-size-fits-all recovery process. Each person who struggles with addiction is different, therefore their treatment should complement their needs.

Our goal is to lead those struggling with addiction to a place of stability. We do this by assessing the needs of the individual so that we may lay a strong foundation for the work to come, so that someday they may pursue a healthy lifestyle.

Throughout the intervention process, substance abuse patients will be treated compassionately with a nurturing spirit so that they may have peace of mind on their journey to recovery.

We are committed to assisting our clients in long-term recovery so that what they’ve learned and practiced with us can continue with them for the rest of their lives. If you are interested in scheduling an intervention, you can contact us here.