How To Plan An Intervention In 3 Steps

Hosting an intervention could be the wake-up call your sibling, spouse, adult child, or another loved one needs to stop substance abuse. You might think you are helping with your support, but in reality you could be enabling the addictive behavior. Planning a loving intervention can be the best approach to getting someone with a substance use disorder to receive treatment.

1. Educate Yourself

First, educate yourself on your loved one’s addiction. Knowledge is power. The more you know about how the brain works on substances, the easier it will be to plan an intervention. Educating yourself on substance abuse will not only give you the information you need to make smart decisions for your intervention, but can also help you stay calm and grounded during difficult times. Doing research means someone else’s opinions will not sway you during the intervention process. You will have enough knowledge to form your own thoughts on the subject.

Use Online Resources

The Internet can be an important tool for substance abuse research. However, it can also have a great deal of misinformation. Knowing where to look for reliable, trustworthy facts on addiction and intervention assistance can help. Look for websites that end in .gov or .edu. These are reliable sources of information. Search for the symptoms of substance abuse, how a specific drug works on the brain, and what you can do to help a loved one with a problem. Keep in mind, however, that each person’s addiction is unique. It is important to supplement your personal research with conversations with experts.

Ask Around Your Community

Your community likely has centers where you can get more information on substance abuse and addiction. Local centers may have flyers, brochures, pamphlets, or presentations with helpful information on the nature and extent of addiction. Your community center may also have classes or meetings specifically tailored for family members. Look for a Mothers Against Destructive Decisions organization in your area, for example, or attend a Drug Education campaign near you.

Find Treatment Centers

Finally, find information on treatment centers. A main part of the intervention process is recommending a treatment center where your loved one can go for help. Print out information on the centers you find for detoxification and rehabilitation. Locating a center that is close to your loved one, that offers holistic treatments, that allows pets, etc. saves your loved one from having to do the research him- or herself. Setting up the treatment facility ahead of time can make it easiest for the individual to get help immediately after the intervention.

2. Ask For Help

Once you have the information you need about addiction and interventions, ask for help. Planning or hosting an intervention is not something you need to do on your own. Don’t be afraid to ask for help when in need. Ask supportive friends and family who may already know about the addiction. Explain that you believe it’s time to host an intervention. Invite them to help you plan the session to give your loved one the strongest push to seek treatment.

Form A Planning Group

Create a secret group to start planning your spouse, sibling, or child’s intervention. The group should consist of people your loved one knows and trusts. The intervention team will typically participate in the intervention. Set a date and location. Work together to create a consistent message and a structure for the intervention. Focus on the facts of the issue and a solution, rather than getting carried away with strong emotions. Tell everyone in the group not to tell the loved one until the day of.

Make notes on what each person will say during the intervention. Each person can describe specific events when the addiction impacted him or her, either emotionally or financially. The goal should be to show the individual how much his or her addiction is impacting others, while still expressing care. The intervention should express the fact that change is possible. As a group, decide on what you will do if the individual refuses treatment. If you are an enabler, for example, you may have to ask your loved one to move out.

Talk To Professionals

Speaking to a real person about your loved one’s addiction or alcoholism can give you information you can trust. Calling Intervention Helpline, for example, can put you in touch with an intervention specialist who can give you advice and information about the specific addiction. You can speak to a licensed professional who can give you facts about the type of abuse disorder that plagues your loved one. Asking for help from a professional interventionist can put your intervention on the right track for success.

3. Involve Others

An intervention does not have to be just a family affair. Before you host the meeting, involve others who can help you ensure the intervention’s success. This could include a counselor, psychologist, addiction professional, sponsor, or interventionist. Professional intervention may be necessary if your loved one’s addiction is severe, if you do not know how to host the intervention yourself, or if you have already tried an intervention but it failed.

Do Not Involve Unsupportive People

Do not invite anyone who supports drug use in any way. The only people at your intervention should be those who know and love the individual, and who have your loved one’s best interests at heart. No one present should seek to hurt the individual’s feelings or take out his or her anger on the individual. If you believe your family or friends are not enough to convince your loved one to seek help, involve professionals.

Choose The Right Professionals

If your loved one has a history of mental illness, a history of violence, is suicidal, or is taking mood-altering drugs, hire a professional to host the intervention for you. Choose an intervention organization that can tell you for certain how to deal with your loved one’s addiction. Search for a solution with a history of success, positive reviews, and the resources to truly help your loved one.