#1stresponders... How Do You Stage an Intervention???

Safe Call Now® Interventionist - Ken Seeley

If you have a friend or family member who is suffering from addiction, chances are you have considered staging an intervention. It is incredibly devastating to watch a loved one struggle with addiction. They may often claim to quit, only to use again. Their moods may shift dramatically, and they may lash out and become unstable at even the mention of the thought of help. If an addict has reached this serious and severe stage of addiction, the important people in his or her life may have no choice but to stage an intervention.

Staging an intervention is a last ditch effort to appeal to an addict’s desire to get clean. No one but an addict can decide to get healthy, but communicating with the addict in as clear and serious of a fashion possible may be the impetus for the addict to finally come to terms with the severity of their addiction. While an intervention can be a very useful tool in convincing an addict to get help, staging the intervention is an extremely challenging process. Confronting an addict may very well cause them to go on the defensive, and end in a fight that sends the addict further away from their loved ones. So, how does one stage an intervention? How can you get through to your loved one and have the highest probability of a success rate?

Consult a Specialist

The first thing you should do is consult an intervention specialist. This is very important because an intervention specialist has plenty of training and experience with addicts and their families. They know what behaviors you are likely to encounter, and have plenty of tactics ready to keep the addict as calm and receptive as possible. An intervention without a counselor is also very risky as emotions and anger may run high, and without an impartial moderator, the odds of a fight or argument are very high.

Once you’ve selected an interventionist that you feel comfortable with, you should tell them everything you can about the addict you’re trying to get through to. Make sure they know how long you have noticed their drug abuse, and what anger triggers you’ve witnessed. An intervention counselor will then help you formulate a plan for talking with the addict. You will work together to determine who else should be involved. Be in contact with all of those people and work with the interventionist to determine ground rules that all of you agree to.

How the Addict Makes You Feel

Remember, for example, that all statements at an intervention should be about you and how the addict has made you feel. Be careful not to blame or attack the addict. Once all of the people involved in the intervention have communicated and agreed on guidelines, a time should be set for the intervention. Above all, this should be a time when the addict is likely to be sober and in a location where they will feel safe. Finally, talk to the addict and make firm plans to meet. If possible, do what you can to ensure that the addict is there on time.

While you are at the intervention, make sure you listen to both the addict and the interventionist. Do your best to stay calm. Stick to the rules you all laid out together. This will greatly increase the odds of your intervention being successful.

Just because the addict in your life is in trouble, does not mean they need to stay that way forever. With the right help, it is possible to help your loved one back on track. The first step is asking for help from the right person.