Help A Loved One Into Rehab Through Intervention
If someone you care about is trapped in the cycle of addiction but repeatedly avoiding the topic of going to rehab, you may have considered holding an intervention to help. An intervention is a carefully planned event that typically includes family, close friends, and a trained interventionist who work together to lovingly confront an individual about their substance abuse.
The goal of an intervention is to persuade the person to accept treatment. This option is often considered a last resort effort when other forms of persuasion, including one-on-one conversations, haven’t worked. If you’re considering an intervention for someone you care about, working with a professional interventionist is key.
An intervention starts with a call or message to our team for consultation. At Lakeview Health, concerned family members can request intervention assistance by contacting our team via chat or phone. An intervention specialist who is available in your location can then reach out to you to schedule a consultation.
A consultation offers loved ones a roadmap to the process. At this time, your interventionist will assess the family dynamics and begin preparing customized strategies.
How an Intervention May Proceed
Forming a team
The intervening team typically includes parents, spouses, siblings, and any other close relatives or friends who have been directly impacted by the person’s substance use disorder. Only people who can be relied upon to show up and follow the plan should be included.
Don’t invite people your loved one doesn’t trust or anyone who might be too disruptive. Some family members may want to defend their loved one’s behavior or make excuses for them. This type of enabling behavior can derail an intervention.
Arranging for Treatment
One of the advantages of working with a Lakeview Health interventionist is that you don’t have to worry about navigating the details for admission to a treatment program. Your professional can pave the way for admissions as well as travel to the residential treatment center.
Preparing Letters
It is typical for the team to share letters of concern and encouragement with their loved one. These letters might also include consequences that will happen if the individual refuses treatment.
Consequences might include cutting off financial aid, changing the boundaries of relationships, or refusing to help the person with legal consequences related to their addiction. Your interventionist will provide input on the letters to ensure they stay supportive, compassionate, and effective.
Setting a Time and Location
Your next step is to settle on a time, place, and date for the intervention. The location should be private and somewhere the individual feels safe, such as at a loved one’s home. The timing will need to take the addicted person’s schedule and habits into account, but it also should be relatively convenient for the entire team.
Conducting the Meeting
Getting the individual to the meeting can be the most difficult part of an intervention. In many cases, the person won’t show if they know they’re facing an intervention. Family members must usually come up with a believable plan that gets the person to the meeting spot without suspicion.
The team should gather early and be waiting for the individual when they arrive. It’s the job of the interventionist to guide the process and keep the atmosphere supportive. After all team members have had an opportunity to speak, your facilitator will present the treatment plan and discuss the next step.
Follow Post-Intervention Guidance
The individual may or may not accept the offer to enter rehab. Team members should have a plan for each possibility. An interventionist will help everyone involved plan concrete steps for whatever happens next.
This may include connecting family members with local resources and information on how to support their loved ones going forward.
For more information about how intervention services, reach out today by calling 866 704 7692 for more information.
Addiction treatment at a premier facility like Lakeview Health in Jacksonville, Florida can change the life of someone fighting an addiction to drugs or alcohol. Lakeview Health specializes in dual diagnosis treatment. That means we not only assist in your addiction recovery, but help identify and treat co-occurring conditions such as anxiety, depression, and PTSD. See why treating co-occuring disorders is crucial to achieve lasting sobriety.
Some of the benefits our patients have received from our dual-diagnosis treatment at Lakeview Health include:
A professional is not only trained to assist with interventions, but they are also an addiction and recovery specialist. The interventionist’s role includes these four important aspects:
1. Customized Approach
Every situation is different, and there is no single formula for arranging a successful intervention. A professional brings the depth of experience that’s needed to cope with a variety of individuals, family dynamics, and physical logistics.
Interventionists are objective. They are not emotionally invested the way family members are. They don’t judge or lay blame, but they also aren’t afraid to be honest. If toxic or enabling behaviors from loved ones threaten to derail the process, a professional can navigate those behaviors effectively.
2. Effective Communication
An intervention is often an emotionally charged event. Family members may be angry, worried, and fearful. The individual who needs help may be resistant and might see the effort as an attack.
A trained interventionist has the experience to maintain a calm and supportive environment. They can reduce the tension and prevent or manage conflict so that the focus remains on the addicted individual’s needs.
Keeping the conversation positive and compassionate can increase the chances of a good outcome. Studies on supportive psychotherapy have found that clients find treatment most helpful when they can relate to a therapist and feel supported and heard.
3. Preparation
It takes more than a few family members coming together to confront their loved one to make an intervention successful. What will you do if the person shows up under the influence or refuses to listen? If they do agree to addiction treatment, what’s next?
An interventionist comes in with a plan that covers almost every conceivable variable. They can arrange for admission to a treatment program as well as for transportation. Interventionists also know how to care for a person who may start detoxing on the way to treatment.
When it comes to physically getting someone into treatment, there are many points at which a “yes” can turn into a “no,” and vice versa. Professionals use their experience to increase the chance of success at every turn.
4. Rehearsal
A professional takes the time to meet with family members, listen to their concerns, and help them prepare for the intervention by rehearsing together. Rehearsal helps everyone understand their role and calms nerves. The interventionist might also rehearse different scenarios, such as what they will do if the individual gets angry or refuses help.
Knowing there is a plan for the most likely scenarios can give the whole team more confidence in the process.
Not all interventions succeed. It’s possible your loved one will decline treatment. They may get angry and even cut off contact with you. Keep in mind that the process may still be a step toward healing for the family as a whole, even if treatment isn’t the end result.
Families must protect their boundaries and follow through with the consequences they explained during the intervention. Though the addicted person may have refused treatment initially, living with consequences like the loss of financial support may eventually change their mind.
Consider joining a support group or speaking with an addiction therapist to learn more about coping with a loved one who is not ready to get treatment.
If you’ve tried everything and are unsure of how to help an addict in your life, an intervention may be the solution. A successful intervention requires planning, rehearsal, and follow-up. Hiring an interventionist for this process can increase the chances of a positive outcome, and working with a mental healthcare professional who understands the disease of addiction can offer many benefits.
You may feel the choice to intervene is a desperate one, but it is also an act of love. Intervention provides family members and close friends an opportunity to tell their loved ones how much they love them, how they’ve witnessed the negative effects of addiction impact their life, and what they’re willing to do to help them heal.
Planning an intervention is a big step, but if your loved one’s addictive behaviors are endangering their life, it may be the best decision you’ve ever made. If you would like to learn more about intervention assistance or are ready to take the next step in your loved one’s recovery, contact the compassionate team at Lakeview Health today.