Unfortunately, the disease of addiction, alcoholism and drug dependence, affects the mind and body in such a way that it keeps a person using substances against their will and better judgment. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, estimates that drug addiction or drug abuse, as well as alcohol addiction and alcohol abuse, continue to be on the rise each year. 

An intervention can be the perspective that someone struggling with alcohol or drug addiction needs to break the cycle and get help. For those suffering from substance use disorders, who either cannot stop using or are in a dangerous place, an intervention can be the best option to quickly and effectively get them to see the truth of their situation. A successful intervention can help those struggling with addiction find the treatment centers that can help them in their recovery process.

What is an intervention?

A formal intervention is an orchestrated attempt by one or many people, usually consisting of family and friends or an intervention team, to motivate someone to seek professional help. The term intervention is used because it is grounded in the idea of intervening in someone's addiction in an attempt to hopefully break the cycle of the substance abuse disorder. For serious mental illness, as well as an alcohol or drug problem, interventions can cause the person struggling to finally accept treatment and recover.

There are many different types of addiction intervention models usually facilitated when a family member, close relative, or even friend decides they want to go ahead and intervene in their loved one's drug abuse or alcoholism.

  • Direct Intervention: A direct intervention is an intervention process in which the addict or alcoholic is not involved in the deciding process. The family and friends get together with an intervention specialist to decide amongst themselves how they want to handle the situation and usually initiate the intervention with the addict in such a way that they don't know it is coming.
  • Indirect Intervention: An indirect intervention involves work with a codependent family that may be enabling the addict or alcoholic so that they may be able to begin doing things to help themselves and no longer motivate the person with an addiction or alcoholism to continue their use. An indirect intervention helps the family to take steps towards being more effective in helping the individual suffering from drug and alcohol abuse.
  • Family Intervention:  The family is one of the most important and emotionally persuasive tools when it comes to intervening in an addict or alcoholic's use. During a family intervention, a certified interventionist will mediate but will also allow the family to play a large role in emotionally moving the addict or alcoholic to get help. While addicts and alcoholics may not get help based on their own knowledge of their drug use, they may get help after hearing how they have affected not only themselves but also their family members and close loved ones. In some instances, it may be necessary for the family members to offer an ultimatum or consequences if the sick loved one doesn't get help.
  • Crisis Intervention Crisis interventions are often employed when time is of the essence. Hence, why it is called a crisis intervention. In dire situations where a loved one may be a danger to themselves or others, a certified interventionist can help to persuade a loved one to get help. In certain scenarios, if the sick loved one absolutely refuses to get help, a certified interventionist during a crisis intervention may think it is best to utilize legal services. These legal services can require the addict or alcoholic to be assessed and put into an institutionalized setting involuntarily until the crisis is over.

End Alcoholism and Drug Dependence with RECO Intensive 

Interventions have a high success rate in catalyzing an addict or alcoholic to seek help from a treatment facility. The disease of addiction and alcoholism affects more than just the substance abuser, and an intervention can help teach both the loved ones and their addicted loved one how to better handle their situation.

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