Do you know someone who is addicted to drugs or alcohol? Perhaps you notice that even on informal drinking occasions your relative or friend always gets drunk. Maybe they also like to take drugs even when they’re not at parties and do so every day.
It can be hard when you spot the signs of addiction to know what to do. But thankfully we are moving on from locking up addicts in narcotic farms.
Sometimes an intervention is the only way out to ensure your loved one recovers and gets the treatment they need.
Here’s our advice about the best intervention strategies to ensure the best outcome for your loved one.
- Confront Them in a Safe Space
It’s important to confront your loved one in a space in which they feel comfortable. If your loved one feels at any point threatened by what’s happening to them then they might lose control.
To avoid this you could stage an intervention in their home. This is a space where they have reasonable control over. Furthermore, they can expel you from the home and do not feel trapped by the situation.
A public space can be awkward and could make your loved one feel embarrassed or unable to express themselves and should be avoided at all costs.
Remember that everyone feels differently though so it is important to factor in specific circumstances relating to your loved one.
- Consult Other Family Members and Friends
Always consult other family members and friends to reassure yourself that you are taking the right course of action. Other family members and friends might also have additional information about their drug addiction.
Remember that addicts tend to lead secretive lives a bid to cover up their addiction or to convince themselves that they don’t have one. This is one of a number of common drug abuse symptoms. It can be difficult to glean the extent of their addiction or other behavior that they might be caught up in one your own. Multiple perspectives can be very useful.
- Always Consult an Expert
Consulting an intervention specialist is how to stage an intervention 101. As you are not medically trained nor are you trained in conflict resolution you could end up making the situation worse.
We’ve all seen shows like Dr. Phil and Jerry Springer. Although those shows present a ‘tough love’ approach as being the answer, remember those shows are about manufacturing drama for television purposes. Celebrity campaigners like Russell Brand think we should treat drug addicts more compassionately and as a disease.
The reality is that kind of approach could lead to your loved one trying to end their own life.
An intervention specialist will know how to handle the situation and might be available for you in the immediate aftermath to ensure the right result or to check your loved one into rehab.
Intervention Strategies Do Work
There are many intervention strategies that do work well but they do not involve the techniques you see on popular television talk shows.
In fact, as any intervention specialist will tell you, any intervention needs to take place in a calm environment under the right circumstances.
If you are interested in reading more about intervention strategies or how to stage an intervention be sure to check out the rest of our site.
