Too many families are living with the emotional pain and heartache caused by the addiction of a loved one. Families feel powerless over the cycle of addiction and powerless to change the behavior of a loved one obviously self destructing.
By the time families begin to consider an intervention, informal attempts have almost always been made to stop the abuse, without any change in the user's behavior. The addict can exist in a delusional world, denying even to themselves the extent of their problem, and the damage to family and friends that this problem creates. An intervention breaks through this wall of denial and forces the addicted person to accept the reality of their addiction, and the reality of how their behavior affects the ones they love.
An intervention should be well planned, and should be undertaken with love and in a non confrontational manner. The addict is made to understand the consequences of their actions for their loved ones and the consequences for them if they continue to abuse drugs or alcohol.
Although an intervention can be difficult, and for some the thought of confronting a family member may cause apprehension or even fear, these interventions work, and are the best way to get a user to accept responsibility for their problem and begin the road to recovery. The vast majority of addicts who undergo a professional intervention will accept the treatment that their loved ones have arranged for them; and even those who initially refuse help will often in time accept their problem, and take steps to get the needed treatment. An intervention is the most effective way to heal an addict, and to heal a family suffering through the addiction of a loved one.
page last update Aug 05, 2010
