Alcohol Intervention Guidelines

Do you have a loved one requiring treatment for alcoholism? If so, an alcohol intervention may be the road to follow. Truth be told, an intervention can be a stressful ordeal. Though you likely have reservations about confronting your loved one, it is important to take action before the issue escalates into greater risk areas.

Location, Location, Location

The proper location is essential to the success of an alcohol intervention. This spot should serve as a neutral zone for both the alcoholic and participants alike. In this way, you can effectively lessen the possibility of your loved one feeling threatened or on-guard. Plan a time when the subject is most likely to be clear headed and sober to ensure they are able to fully understand the extent of the situation at hand.

Communication

Before the intervention can begin, it is important to obtain a commitment from the alcoholic that they will listen without interruption while others are speaking. Express your concern without blame or accusation. Stick to the facts and support your claims with recent examples of how the individual’s behaviors have negatively impacted both themselves and those surrounding them.

In most cases, it’s best to write out your feelings ahead of time. It can be easy for emotions to get the best of us in stressful situations. In this way, you can communicate your concern clearly, without frustration, anger and personal attacks.

Offer Answers

After each participant has been afforded the opportunity to communicate his or her concerns, a solution must be offered. Having a treatment plan in place prior to the intervention is imperative to a safe and successful transition into recovery. If your loved one agrees to accept help, your plan must be enacted immediately to avoid delays and second thoughts.

If the individual shows hesitancy towards recovery, an ultimatum should be offered to motivate them in the right direction. Ultimatums can range from revoked financial assistance to cutting off communication completely. Please note that if you are unwilling to carry out the ultimatum, it should not be given. Empty threats will get you nowhere; causing only additional issues moving forward.

Facilitating A Group Intervention

Interventions are generally comprised by a group of family and friends with the intent to aid someone engaged in self-destructive behaviors. Though these encounters are commonly thought to be for individuals struggling with addiction and substance abuse, they can be organized around other behaviors as well.  From hoarding and eating disorders to gambling and mental health issues, interventions are able to help people accept the extent of the issue at hand, and the help being offered to combat it.

1 – Contact friends and family members of the individual for whom the intervention will be based around. This group can include anyone from co-workers to religious figures such as a priest or rabbi. Communicate your ideas surrounding the intervention with those you’d like involved to ensure that all are on board. Discuss your reasoning behind the actions being taken, along with the results you’re hoping to see.

2 – Reach out to an intervention specialist. During the intervention, your loved one may react with anger toward you and the other participants. Involving a neutral party within the circle will help defer aggression and center focus on the real issue at hand. In addition, a trained interventionist can also help organize and moderate the intervention to ensure that everything runs smoothly, and that everyone is on the same page.

3 – Determine terms within the group before the actual intervention. In order to achieve a happy outcome, most interventions will require some form of ultimatum. Enabling the addict through financial aid, shelter, or covering for them will only perpetuate the cycle of addiction and negativity. As such, the addict must understand that they will no longer be provided assistance unless they choose to seek help.

4 – Plan out a place, date and time for the intervention to be held. Ideally, you’ll want to choose a spot that is neutral to both the addict and participants such as a hotel room or friends home.

5 – Participants should each write a letter to the individual describing just how difficult it is to watch them wallow in self-destructive behaviors. Letters should cite specific examples of how the addiction has affected the participant on a personal level and how they hope the addict will seek help for their problems.

6 – Make arrangements for treatment prior to the intervention. Once the individual agrees to treatment, it’s important to enact a plan right away to avoid any second thoughts. Have your treatment facility on call, and travel arrangements ready to go.

Handling Anger From A Drug Addict – A How-To Guide

In some cases, we are not afforded a clear choice in leaving loved ones who are struggling with anger issues caused by abuse and addiction. In this entry we will offer up a few tips to help you cope with your situation.

1 – Avoid taking anything personally. Place yourself in a mindset that focuses on the present rather than allowing harsh statements or aggressive behavior destroy you. Remember to take a deep breath and remain clam. Screaming or placing blame on yourself will only escalate the drama… and you already likely have a surplus.

2 – Create a list of addresses, phone numbers and other contact information of loved ones and friends to assist you should things get out of hand. You never know when you might need them.

3 – Face the facts. The addict is not angry at something you did. They are angry at themselves. The drugs simply add to the aggression. Avoid fooling yourself into believing that time will heal the situation. It won’t. Your home isn’t going to clean itself up without a good fight… neither will an addict. Don’t let the troubles pile up.

4 – Take steps to address potential codependency issues. Though you may not have the ability to drop everything and build a spiritual practice, you can question, “What am I gaining by continuing to enable this predicament?”

5 – Focus on you! Start off slow and envision a life independent of negativity and addiction. Share your thoughts in a diary. Read a book. Do something for YOU. By engaging in activities of self-worth, you will eventually develop it.

6 – Stage a drug intervention. This will provide you with the ability to fight back against your loved one’s addiction, while offering assistance towards a healthy and happy recovery.

Drug Abuse Confrontation Techniques

Watching a loved one struggle with drug addiction is an extremely difficult position to be in. Learning to confront the issue is yet another. Before a discussion can take place, it is important to determine whether the individual in question is aware of the issue at hand. Many addicts have trouble recognizing substance abuse problems; a fact that may ultimately alter the way to address the issue.

Instructions

1 – Think before you speak. Having an organized plan of action prior to the discussion is key to a positive outcome. Determine which points should be addressed and what wording to use. These confrontations can be emotionally draining as is without having to scrounge about for the right word. Write out your thoughts ahead to time to keep both you and the conversation focused and on track.

2 – Be realistic. Not every confrontation will end on a happy note; there may not be kisses, hugs and thank yous. You may be met will anger, denial, yelling and defiance. Many addicts are simply not ready to face their substance abuse issues. By preparing yourself for the worst, you stand a much better chance of success.

3 – Provide alternatives and solutions. Simply suggesting that someone quit using will do little to change the situation. Have a plan of action ready! Look into local rehab facilities, counselors and support groups to further your cause. If you expect resistance, you may consider organizing a drug intervention to further illustrate the effect their addiction has had on those surrounding them.

Strategies For A Successful Intervention

Choosing the right family intervention strategies can be tricky. What works well in one instance may not necessarily be the proper course of action for another. Interventions exist in a number of forms: Some bluntly express a need for change. Others can be more subtle. Depending on the subject and circumstances, it may be necessary to perform several interventions before getting the intended message across. In this entry, we will discuss some common strategies to employ in hopes of a happy outcome.

Counseling

People abuse alcohol for a variety of reasons. Some self medicate in an effort to address underlying issues they may not even know exist. An intervention can be subtle, such as a suggestion to seek professional counseling. Even in cases where the individual does not intend to quit drinking, working with a seasoned counselor may help them come to grips with the full extent of their issues.

Stop Enabling

An individual who is unable to maintain steady employment and regularly borrows money from friendly and family members is typically only obtaining help to continue their irresponsible behaviors. If an alcoholic is not provided reasons to alter their ways, the cycle will perpetuate.

Though you may view it as harsh, the absolute best way to aid a struggling addict is by cutting off their lifeline. When loved ones put their foot down in regard to financial support, the addict is forced to look at their situation in a more delicate manner. Chances are that after a week or so without cash flow, they will choose to gain employment or seek professional help.

Restricted Contact

Many alcoholics display behaviors that are simply inappropriate when they are under the influence. They may allow anger to get the best of them; they may curse, yell, or simply become belligerent. If this behavior is regularly displayed in front of children, such as nieces, nephews or grandchildren, it’s important to set boundaries by restricting their contact until help is obtained. This technique is not only beneficial to the individual in question, but the children as well. The idea that they are no longer allowed to communicate with their loved ones may be just enough to consider recovery possibilities.

The Benefits of Sobriety

Drug and alcohol addiction leads to an array of issues affecting the user’s health, career, relationships and finances, among other things. Breaking the addiction cycle and choosing a sober lifestyle offers the potential for numerous benefits and possibilities that would otherwise remain hidden from view. Though this road can certainly be a challenging one to navigate, the positives await at our destination far outweigh any possible negatives.

Self-Realization

Alcohol often brings out negative aspects in its users. Removing alcohol from the equation provides you with the opportunity to be self-reliant and free. Sobriety allows us to uncover and reconnect with the real you – the genuine article. With the clarity gained from sobriety, it is much easier to determine who you really are and where you are headed in life. The possibilities are endless.

Opportunity

Any time we use exterior substances to ensure happiness, stress relief or to deal with our troubles, it traps us. Life becomes unimaginable without the crutch, and your day becomes consumed by ensuring you are able to obtain it. Alcohol dependency places limits on what we believe we can accomplish. A sober person is not inhibited by alcohol; They do not sabotage betterment efforts; They are free to live how they choose.

Health

Excessive alcohol use works to damage each and every part of our bodies, leading to health deficiencies and illness. Once alcohol is removed from your life, your body will begin to replenish its supply of minerals and vitamins. Your organs will heal, and in time, your metabolism will kick back into gear.

Relationships

Sobriety provides us with the opportunity to renew damaged relationships with loved ones. Addicts will commonly take center stage and priority to everything else in life, causing hurt, embarrassment and resentment among those we care for. By removing the alcohol barrier, the healing process can begin to play out.

Need Help?

If a loved one is suffering from an alcohol or drug addiction, call an intervention specialist to start your path to recovery.

“Thank You For The Intervention”

Making a point to thank a friend or family member who helps you overcome a self-destructive behavior is a noble act indeed. Self-destructive behaviors are generally associated with addictive personalities and can quickly ruin an individual’s life if left alone. Common examples include drug and alcohol abuse, gambling, or even internet preoccupation. In a great number of instances, successfully overcoming the addiction requires the intervention of an outside person or group. Once the addict has embarked on the road to recovery, a simple “thank you” may be in order. Here’s how to go about it:

1 – Sit down and write out a thoughtful thank you letter to the individual or group who spearheaded your recovery. Communicate your gratitude and offer up specific details regarding how the intervention helped you.

2 – Conclude your letter with details pertaining to your post-intervention life. Perhaps the best way to express your gratitude is to provide examples of just how your life has turned around since the invention.

3 – Pick up the phone and give them call. A one-on-one conversation will provide the individual responsible for the alcohol invention an opportunity to understand the full extent of your gratitude and sincerity. Another advantage of a phone conversation is the ability to communicate your progress in recovery.

4 – Think of a personalized gift to send the individual. This gift does not have to pertain to the recovery or intervention. It can be as simple as a teddy bear or flowers. The most important aspect of a thank you is the gesture itself.