One way of helping a loved one who is struggling with an addiction such as alcohol is staging an intervention. During an intervention, the team helps the person accept that he or she has a problem and needs immediate help. The team brings to light the consequences of the addiction to the person and his or her loved ones. Sometimes interventions do not end up as expected for various reasons. One of the reasons is overlooking some aspects of a successful intervention. Below is a guide on how to stage a successful intervention for a loved one.
Plan the Intervention
Consider all the aspects of the intervention including rehab when developing the plan including the intervention team, place, and time. Find professionals who can help you through the process and book them for that event. A professional counselor, psychologist, or addiction specialist will help your team deal with the negative emotions that arise during interventions.
Understand the Extent of the Problem
The intervention team should meet before the set time and analyze the person’s addiction problem. The identified professional(s) in the previous step should be included in this meeting to prepare the team for the actual intervention. The goal of analyzing the extent of the problem is to identify the best approach and treatment program for the loved one.
Rehearse
Team members should learn and rehearse what to say in the intervention with the help of the professional. The choice of words is critical during an intervention because words trigger different emotions and reactions. The professional should help team members with their tones and responses to the person’s questions or reactions to their contributions.
Be Prepared for Anything
An intervention team plans the intervention and rehearses what to say with the assumption that the person will actually show up for the meeting. Addicts expect their loved ones to stage an intervention and may refuse to meet anyone when the agenda seems unclear. The person may drive off if they sense that an intervention is about to take place. An addict’s response is unpredictable. The team must be prepared for a positive and negative response. The intervention team must also prepare for high emotions and indifference from the addict.
Hold the Intervention
At this stage, the intervention team implements its plan and holds the meeting. Avoid postponing the meeting or making sudden changes on the set dates. Last minutes changes may confuse the team members and cause divisions in the team. Find a way of bringing the loved one to the meeting. The person should feel loved and not attacked during the intervention.
Follow Up
A successful intervention should end with the person accepting help. However, the process of breaking an addiction does not end with an alcohol treatment and detox program. Sometimes addicts join such programs under pressure only to relapse as soon as they leave the program. The intervention team must follow up on the person’s progress during and after the rehab program to ensure that the person has recovered completely.
The approach used to stage an intervention determines whether the process is successful or not. The intervention team must understand the person’s problem and plan for all aspects of the intervention. The team should expect and prepare for anything during the intervention. It is advisable to involve a professional counselor, doctor, psychologist or an addiction expert throughout the process.
