Addiction Treatment Intervention

Addiction Intervention

It has been said that only 15% of all addicts will seek help. That means that millions of people will eventually die in addiction never seeking help. An addiction treatment intervention could be the answer. We’ve all heard that addicts “have to want” sobriety, but if that person is close to you it is hard to sit and wait until they’re ready. An addiction intervention is a planned, structured process that steers the non-compliant prospective patient towards help and treatment. A trained interventionist, with the help of friends and family, will facilitate the whole process. The interventionist then works out arrangements for admission to a facility and can accompany them to the treatment center they have chosen.

Does someone you know need an addiction intervention?

Every time the phone rings are you worried what bad news it will bring? When your loved one, who is addicted to drugs or alcohol, leaves do you fear it will be the last time you see them alive? Are you afraid that something tragic will happen and you will be left with feelings of guilt because you didn’t do something? Are you at your wit’s end with your loved one and their addiction? Have you exhausted all of your resources to help the addict? If the answer is yes to any of these questions then it might be time for an intervention.

Recovery Ways and our trained admission coordinators can help you and your family secure and interventionist. We work with an extensive network of exceptional addiction treatment intervention professionals and can help you and your family place your loved one in treatment as soon as possible.

What is an intervention?

A successful addiction intervention is never spontaneous. Family, friends or co-workers together plan to confront a loved one about his or her self-destructive behavior (generally an addiction to drugs or alcohol) and to get the loved one to seek professional help by checking into a drug rehabilitation center. There are two types of interventions:

Informal

An informal intervention can be as simple as having a one-on-one conversation with the alcohol or drug dependent person in which you ask questions or make observations about how their behavior has negatively affected their life and yours.

Formal

A formal intervention is a structured conversation with the addictive person that involves a group of people who are important to the addict. Formal interventions are usually used when the addictive person repeatedly refuses to get help. It is encouraged that this confrontation is done with dignity and respect. Clear instructions for getting help are provided along with clear consequences if the help is refused. Often there is a prior meeting where plans are set and the group practices what they are going to say to the addict.

Addiction treatment interventions can be done alone or with the help of an interventionist, but interventions without professional guidance should be navigated very carefully, if not avoided altogether. Interventionists are specially trained addiction counselors who can help you conduct the intervention in a safe and often more productive manner. Working with a professional also allows you to focus on your personal contribution to the intervention and let go of the pressure of managing everyone and keeping a positive but firm environment. The interventionist will assist you and your loved ones from the planning the intervention, to escorting your loved one to the rehab facility, to aftercare and recovery.

The goal of an intervention is to get the person to agree to get help immediately by attending a drug and alcohol treatment program. Just promising to stop the behavior is not an acceptable conclusion.

What behaviors can be addressed?

Interventions can be used to address several self-destructive behaviors. The most commonly thought of interventions are for drug or alcohol abuse, but they can also be used for eating disorders, sex addiction, gambling, self-mutilation, internet/computer addiction, and several types of poor personal health care decisions or actions that are harmful. Addiction treatment programs in Utah are available for these behaviors.

How do I choose a good interventionist?

A good interventionist is usually a licensed or certified professional and will have specialized training in interventions. Don’t be afraid to ask questions about their experience, qualifications and skills. The most important thing when choosing an interventionist is that you trust the person. If you feel uneasy or don’t agree with their methods, move on.

At Recovery Ways we work with a network of highly trained and exceptional interventionist across the country. Our admissions staff will be happy to give you the name and contact information for someone who will suit your individual needs. To speak with an admission coordinator contact us by calling 888.986.7848.

Intervention Models

The STORTI MODEL of Intervention

This model personifies the motivational, inspirational and spiritual method of working with the addictive person. It encompasses the family and brings about a moment in one’s life where the solution (treatment) is offered as a gift. The Storti Model brings about a group of people who honor the addictive person on the day of the intervention, presenting treatment as a gift, new life and rebirth.

The SYSTEMIC Intervention Model

This model recognizes addiction as a disease that affects and involves entire families, including the “workplace family.” It is a disease of denial characterized by unhealthy coping and attempts to manage the “problem.” It is an alternative to traditional confrontational intervention models because family, friends, and colleagues form a team to work with the addictive person and address the issues in a loving and respectful manner. It is a successful system precisely because the focus is on patient, but firm, coaching instead of negative confrontation.

The ARISE Intervention Model

This model involves family members in a collaborative intervention process that reduces guilt and blame and allows the family, interventionist, and addictive person to stay focused on helping the addict get into treatment.

The JOHNSON Intervention Model

This model raises the bottom for an addict, which is often death, by compassionately confronting the addict with the consequences of their addiction. The bottom is raised by precipitating a crisis in the addict’s life that is not threatening, damaging, or fatal and compels them into treatment.

At Recovery Ways we work with a number of highly trained and exceptional interventionist across the country. Our admissions staff will be happy to give you the name and contact information for someone who will suit your individual needs.

What can I expect?

The first step of an intervention is gathering everyone who is significant to the addictive person (family, friends, coworkers, neighbors, etc.) to discuss the details with the interventionist. Discuss children’s presence with the interventionist.

The next step is to meet with a professional who can educate them about what to expect. Everyone decides together how the intervention will take place, identify who will be involved in the intervention, and develop a plan for drug and alcohol rehab treatment. Often, families will write letters describing the impact the addict’s behavior has had on them.

Finally, the group will meet with the addictive person to express their love and concern and present facts about the impact the addictive person an their addiction has had on their lives. The support group must show they are unwilling to ignore the addictive behavior any longer, create a clear understanding of the addict’s activities that will no longer be tolerated, financed or participated in, if the addict does not get help at a treatment center for drug and alcohol abuse. The loved ones who participate in the intervention will often feel apprehensive, frustrated and angry. This is normal, and the ability to express these feeling with the addictive person will help everyone begin the process of healing and recovery.

Be prepared for the addictive person to deny their addiction and to be very defensive, hostile or angry. Don’t let this deter you from your end goal of getting them professional help in an addiction treatment center. Help is available now at Recovery Ways.

Tips on Facilitating an Addiction Treatment Intervention

• Enlist the help of a professional to plan the intervention if there is no interventionist have a staff member from the drug rehab center there to assist.
• Decide who is going to be there.
• Approach the addict when they are sober.
• Stay calm, the tone of the intervention should be of love and concern.
• Give specific examples of how the person’s addiction has negatively affected their life.
• Be prepared for denial and resentment.
• Be supportive and hopeful about change.
• Have all arrangements with a drug rehabilitation treatment center ready (including bags packed) so that treatment can begin immediately following the intervention, there should be no delay.
• Be prepared to follow through on your consequences.
• Sometimes an intervention is the seed that is planted and leads to the addictive person getting help in the future.

Contact Recovery Ways to plan your loved one’s addiction treatment intervention. Call 888.986.7848 for accredited addiction treatment programs in Utah.