Addiction can affect anyone, including teenagers, young adults, and older family members. No matter your age or lifestyle, there may come a time when you need to know how to help an addicted loved one in the grips of addiction to alcohol or other drugs.

The professional assistance of an interventionist could be an important tool to help you and your loved one overcome the symptoms of addiction. Let’s explain why an interventionist can be important for your addicted loved ones and how an intervention works in addiction treatment.

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What is Intervention?

Intervention¹ is a type of drug addiction treatment that involves gathering an addicted person’s loved ones together to make a concerted, group statement of concern about that person’s well-being. In a nutshell, an intervention:

• Gives the addicted person specific examples of their harmful behavior. Depending on the intervention plan, this can include details about how they have harmed themselves or others, such as family members
• Reassures the addicted individual that the members of the intervention group still love and support them and only want what is best for their life
• Outlines a treatment plan with steps, goals, rules, and other details to show the addicted person that there’s a way out of their current trouble
• Explains what each person in the group will do if the loved one does not accept treatment or the fact that they have a problem. For example, this can include a spouse leaving with their children if their addicted spouse does not agree to try to change their behavior

An intervention can be effective in contexts and cases where other treatment therapies aren’t as effective. However, it’s important only to perform an intervention with the assistance of a knowledgeable treatment specialist called an interventionist.

What is an Interventionist?

An interventionist² is a trained drug treatment professional who knows how to create intervention and drug treatment plans. More importantly, they know how to coach an intervention team so the intervention event goes smoothly.

Think of an interventionist as a supervisor or overseer for an upcoming intervention event. If you have a loved one who is struggling with addiction, you may wish to perform an intervention to support them and stop their negative behavior. However, you may not know where to start or how to carry out that plan.

That’s where the interventionist comes in. The interventionist knows exactly what to do, what to say, and how to create an effective plan to benefit an addicted individual.

Often, trained interventionists work for recovery and detox facilities, such as Clear Life Recovery. Interventionists may have access to supportive and addiction treatment resources, too, including:

• Treatment programs or detox plans
• Medical literature
• Emergency contacts
• And more

Interventionist vs. Intervention Team

An interventionist plays an important role in a broader intervention team. The intervention team is everyone involved in the event, including friends, family members, spouses, children, and anyone who wishes to assist the addicted individual.

The interventionist leads the intervention team. Depending on the intervention plan created, they may be front and center and visible to the addicted individual. Or they may work from the background, allowing another trusted family member to take the lead during the intervention itself.

How Does Intervention Work?

Intervention works through a step-by-step process, oftentimes beginning by meeting with a skilled interventionist. Here’s a breakdown of what you can expect from an intervention program as someone trying to support a person with addiction:

• First, you’ll make a plan with an interventionist. Whether you or someone else proposes intervention, you need to meet with an interventionist to come up with the plan and details about the event, such as where it will occur, how many people will be included, and so on
• Next, you’ll devise a list of people participating in the intervention event. It’s important only to include individuals who the addicted person loves and respects. You should not include individuals who have fraught or strained relationships with the person struggling with addiction
• Then, once your addiction intervention team is formed, each person in the team should write notes about what they want to say and what they want to express. The interventionist or group leader should look over the notes and make sure they don’t include anything that could cause the meeting to go awry
• After that, you and your intervention team will hold the meeting. Interventions usually occur without the person struggling with addiction knowing beforehand. Thus, it may come as a surprise to them
• You’ll hold the intervention, explain what you want, and how you hope the person with addiction can take the steps they need to pursue recovery
• Even after the intervention concludes, it’s important to follow up with the interventionist and the person struggling with addiction. Your interventionist will tell you that if the person struggling with addiction does not change their behavior, you must keep to the promises you made during the intervention meeting

Benefits of Intervention

The intervention has many important benefits³, which is why it is often used to assist someone in the grip of addiction to dangerous drugs, alcohol, and other substances. These benefits include:

• Intervention can shake an addicted person out of negative habits. When everyone and their family comes together and tells them they are concerned, the addicted person is more likely to take a hard look at their life and see the problems
• Intervention can cause an addicted person to listen if they weren’t listening previously. They may not listen to a medical professional, for example, but they may listen to their mother, father, spouse, or children
• The intervention also shows addicted individuals that their family members truly care for them and are trying to support them through this difficult time. This may provide an addicted person with the social and emotional support they need to take healthy steps to right their course finally

How Invention Can Help an Addicted Loved One

Although intervention can be very effective, it’s important not to consider it the end of treatment. Instead, it’s the beginning.

Intervention is the first step on a long, often difficult road to recovery. An addicted person may experience an intervention event from friends and family members. But then, they must agree to take the steps outlined in the intervention plan.

Each step will take the person struggling with addiction closer to a healthy, stable life. Intervention may help them take that first step, but it’s not the ultimate goal of treatment by any means. If you meet with an interventionist, remember that one meeting will not resolve all of your problems immediately.

Contact Clear Life Recovery Today

Addiction treatment is different for everyone, but it’s always crucial. With the assistance of knowledgeable, specialized interventionists, you and your family members can support an addicted loved one and give them the support they need to thrive once again.

At Clear Life Recovery, we offer a comprehensive and individualized drug and alcohol intervention program for those who need it. We leverage effective practices, such as creating an intervention plan with you, including key family members, and much more. We’ll support your family through this trying time, so contact us today to learn more.

 

Sources:

[1] https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/mental-illness/in-depth/intervention/art-20047451

[2] https://learn.org/articles/What_is_an_Intervention_Specialist.html

[3] https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/drug-intervention