Reasons to Arrange an Intervention

You may have heard about crisis interventions from recent television programs on the topic.  Although a drug or alcohol intervention is not necessary if an addict or alcoholic decides to get help on their own, many times they do not have insight into the fact that they have a problem or that the addiction is somehow less painful than the reality they wish to escape.  If one or more of the following situations is happening in your life, consider speaking with an interventionist to learn more about the process.

Reason 1: The Addict is Making Excuses

The addict may claim they are too busy with work or personal activities, that rehab is too far away or expensive, that their situation is hopeless, that no one can understand what they are going through, that others need it but they don’t, or many other excuses.

Reason 2: The Addict’s Physical and Mental Health Are Cause for Concern

Substance abuse has been found to be associated with a number of mental health conditions including depression; physically, the addict’s or alcoholic’s body will be affected differently by different substances, but prolonged abuse of substances can have serious negative consequences.

Reason 3: The Addict Has Consistently Refused or Resisted Help When Offered

If you and others have tried to tell the addict to get help without results, the next step will probably be arranging an intervention; however, many families delay in doing so because they are concerned about the cost or they are afraid their loved one will refuse and leave them.  Ultimately, these excuses only contribute to unnecessarily prolonging the addiction.

Reason 4: Numerous Aspects of the Addict’s Life Are Suffering

The addict or alcoholic has had problems with career, finances, and relationships.  The need to fulfill the addiction may also have led to legal problems related to the substance use itself, crime, or drunk-driving and other illegal or inappropriate behaviors.

Reason 5: Someone in the Addict’s Life is Helping to Perpetuate the Addiction

Whether because of co-dependency or good intentions, a family member, friend, or romantic interest may be enabling the addiction to continue.  In some cases, everyone else will be adamant about the need for treatment, but the addict or alcoholic will use and manipulate the one individual who will aid them in their substance-seeking behaviors.

What should I do if one of these situations is occurring in my life?

Because you usually cannot force a person to get treatment, you should speak with an interventionist about your options for personalized, unique interventions like executive interventions, adolescent interventions, or Christian interventions, to name a few.