Getting someone to agree to accept help for a serious substance abuse problem and/or mental illness is really just the beginning of the journey into recovery for everyone involved in the process.

After working with people in crisis all over the country and throughout the world as a professional interventionist for almost the past 20 years, I can completely understand how difficult it might be right now for anyone out there reading this with a loved one currently struggling with substance abuse and/or mental illness to try and think about about life after an Intervention, especially when you can’t even get your loved one to talk about the underlying problem, let alone accept help for it!

However, the simple truth is that getting someone to agree to accept help for a serious substance abuse problem and/or mental illness is really just the beginning of the journey into recovery for everyone involved in the process. And I call recovery a journey because from my personal professional perspective, most people end up going down a whole bunch of long and winding roads before they finally end up on their Freeway Forward, the one that actually helps them heal, especially when it comes down to healing from within.

I have always said that the success of an Intervention lies heavily within the collective loving power of caring friends and family to establish, hold, and then uphold strategically significant healthy boundaries that support the foundation of the recovery process. As a result, my belief is that it is imperative to not only be able to lay down the law with love during an Intervention, but equally as important, to be able to hold the line after it. Therefore, planning a successful Intervention also includes having a recovery-centered plan of action to help you meet your emotional needs, while your loved one is simultaneously getting help to meet theirs in treatment, thereby creating a powerful therapeutic counterbalance.

So, when it comes down to actually drafting your very own Post-Intervention Care Plan, it’s important to recognize that by the time you finally decided to plan an Intervention, you were probably pretty close to hitting your very own emotional rock bottom, well in advance of your loved one in crisis. And if you can accept that premise, once you finally see your loved one head out on the road to recovery after an Intervention, you will probably feel like it’s the perfect time to tend to your own emotional welfare so that you will hopefully never having to go through that experience ever again!

Set Realistic Goals

The first step in any plan is to identify exactly what you want to accomplish, or your objectives. The same holds true when creating a solid Post-Intervention Care Plan for yourself. Start off by identifying what you want to accomplish for yourself as a result of the Intervention, both before and after your loved one is finally out on the road to recovery. Look closely at improving your quality of life as well as your ability to effectively cope and process issues that may have been impacting you the most, such as stress, anger, anxiety, resentment, and depression.

Although you may not have been the one in need of inpatient residential care, I suggest that you start planning your Post-Intervention Care Plan as soon as you actually decide to move forward with the Intervention, if not sooner. It will help you gauge your own interpersonal growth, while building on your strengths, and helping you learn from your weaknesses. As a matter of fact, unless you are already doing so, start taking care of your emotional welfare right now! Why wait any longer? As one of my unsuspecting mentors once told me, “people don’t plan to fail, they fail to plan.” While your loved one is taking care of themselves in treatment, do the same back home so that you can also benefit from the recovery process.

Reinforce Your System of Support

First and foremost, don’t try to go through it all alone. No matter how tough you think that you are, or how powerful you may actually be, your life has been impacted in one way or another by substance abuse and/or mental illness right along with your loved one in crisis. Now, in the same way that you wanted your loved one to reach out and accept help, if you are ready to experience the long-term and life-changing benefits of an Intervention, you will need to do the same.

Right out of the box, I recommend that you attend a support group meeting within in your community, such as Al-Anon or NAMI, so that you can connect with other people who have also been where you are and who are willing to freely share their experience with you. Don’t misunderstand me, there’s nothing wrong with reaching out to your close friends and family for support, it’s that they just may not be able to relate to your particular situation, not to mention the fact that they may also want to avoid giving you the wrong advice. Beyond support group meetings, whether before or after all of the emotional dust finally has a chance to settle, I strongly suggest that you set aside at least one hour a week for individual therapy so that you can effectively process all of your feelings with a well-trained professional counselor.

Redefine Your Role

Arranging  all of the pieces of the Intervention puzzle was no easy task. More than likely you had to mediate a whole host of inter-family squabbles, while simultaneously and secretly putting out all of those unexpected logistical fires. Maybe you have always been the one who was expected to somehow fix all of the problems, come up with the solutions, and make the peace.

After the Intervention, you may want to look at redefining your role, not only within your family, but in every other aspect of your life. Along with everyone else who participated in the Intervention, including your loved one who was struggling with substance abuse and/or mental illness, now is the perfect time for you move on and grow.

Engage in the Process

As I am sure that your are already well aware, addiction and mental illness touches everyone in the family in one way or another. As a result, when the time is right, perhaps like right now, look for a treatment center that strongly promotes family work as part of their core curriculum.They may even sponsor a Family Weekend, in which families are welcome and encouraged to visit their loved ones in treatment and then actively participate in the treatment experience while they attend workshops designed to promote greater insight, understanding, along with constructive communication skills. Whether in person, over the phone, or by Skype, engage actively in the process. Go. Call. Make the time.

Remain in the Solution

Think positive. Good times are ahead. Things are going to get better for both you and your loved one struggling with substance abuse and/or mental illness. Although you cannot actually control your loved one’s progress in treatment or the speed of their recovery, as long as you remain steadfast in the solution you can definitely help to improve the prognosis by continuing to hold healthy boundaries introduced during the Intervention. After hitting your very own emotional rock bottom, you should be more than ready to thrive in the solution, now guided by a tangible plan of action rich in support, and full of demonstrative opportunities for interpersonal growth. Unfortunately, however, rest assured that more unwelcome and unexpected twists and turns are also on the way. Even after a successful Intervention, the proverbial coast may be far from completely clear. When dealing with substance abuse and/or mental health disorders, just when you think that things are moving in the right direction, something as simple as a small disagreement can end up moving months of progress sideways. Stay cautiously optimistic and remain in the solution at all times!

The Intervention is just the beginning of the recovery process. As is the case when battling any other progressive illness or disease, overcoming substance abuse and/or mental illness takes a lot of hard work and determination by everyone involved. Furthermore, the results of an Intervention have the potential to go far beyond sobriety alone. Although I have to admit that it took me a while to accept the fact that most people end up reaching out to me at the very bottom, as a sort of last ditch effort to try and break through seemingly impenetrable walls of resistance and denial, I take great pride in the fact that the bottom is exactly where true healing begins. After the Intervention, you will have the unique opportunity to thrive in the solution, right along with your loved one in recovery.

Learn how to plan an intervention for yourself. There are countless pathways to recovery but none of them are walked alone. Find out what needs to be done, based on what's possible - not on what's comfortable.

The first question I ask of anyone who wants to break free of addiction is, "Are you willing to do whatever it takes?" Conditions and contingencies get us killed. What we're unwilling to do becomes something our disease will use against us.

In a very real sense it doesn't matter what we want, feel, or know. It's about what we need and in this context, willingness is everything.

There are countless pathways to recovery but none of them are walked alone. Shame and fear are our biggest obstacles. Too often we struggle alone based in the misguided notion that we are protecting our loved ones. I've sat with no small number of folks who wished they could break through, stop pretending, and reach out for help.

In the following model you will find out how to plan an intervention for yourself - what needs to be done based on what's possible and not at all on what's comfortable.

Changing How We Conceptualize Intervention

There are only two ways recovery gets initiated:

1. An individual seeks help
   
2. Concerned people in their life intervene
   

In an intervention, folks come forward and typically offer some level of support. When we come forward ourselves, we generally do so without supportive others, without plans, and generally with very few resources.

Treatment professionals offer strategies for attaining abstinence and preventing relapse. We typically find that the more people we involve, the better our chances of success. My experiences as an addictions interventionist left me wondering: What if the individual seeking help could receive all the benefits of an intervention?

First Things First

See your Primary Care Physician (PCP). We always urge folks to err on the side of caution. Determine what risks are involved in withdrawing and what steps need to be taken to ensure your medical needs are met. Talking with your PCP is a starting point to determine what level of care options are available:

• outpatient addiction treatment
  
• intensive outpatient
• medically supervised detox
• residential rehab

Developing a Plan

The most effective interventionist I ever worked with taught me to keep it simple, "It starts with accountability and responsibility. If you don't have those you don't have anything. Make a plan and share it with good people. Do whatever you have to do to ensure that you stay clean and sober."

The only "must have" to start the process of building your own intervention is at least one person who truly understands both addiction and recovery. This person can be a friend, family member, a peer in a 12 step community, a recovery coach, or a professional addictions counselor/interventionist. The choice of these should be based on who you believe will do the most to hold you accountable. I favor 12 step folks and professionals because they'll be the least conflicted emotionally about calling us out on our self deception in no uncertain terms.

Take Stock of Your Resources:

• Family (immediate and extended)
• Friends (current and old)
• Religious Community
• Community Resources (Grassroots Movements, Civic Organizations & Health Clinics)
• Local Recovery Communities (12 Step Meetings & Fellowship)
• Workplace (coworkers, supervisor/manager/owner)
• Health Insurance Benefits
• Financial Options regarding treatment
• Past experiences in recovery

Keep It Simple

The purpose of examining resources is two fold:

• Who are the stakeholders (people invested in attaining the solution)
• What can they contribute to the process (emotional, financial support and pragmatic support like transportation and child care).

These determinations will allow you to share with folks how (if they're willing) they can best be supportive. Good intentions and vague offers of support are not sufficient. We won't be asking folks to commit in the moment but offering them clarity will ensure they understand what they're agreeing to and give them an active role in supporting our recovery.

Plan the Gathering

Choose a date and time in which folks won't be rushed. An intervention doesn't need to be an all-day event. It's best to allow a minimum of two hours and a maximum of four. Pick a site that has enough room and is accessible to folks you most want present (consider driving distance and basic facilities).

Invitations

Phone-call invitations tend to yield a lot of questions. One of the benefits to staging your own intervention is that you tell the story fewer times. I suggest sending invitations via email or social media if you're confident folks check them often enough. If any of your guests are elderly or not techno friendly, mail a card or letter.

Share a short sentiment that you need their support in making a major life change. Ask that they hold their questions until the event. Thank them for their patience and understanding and for being a part of your life.

Choose a Facilitator

Having a neutral facilitator is key. Emotions are likely to run high and the folks you'll be talking with all have a personal history with you. Ideally, a professional interventionist or experienced addictions counselor will fill this role. More affordable options include hiring a recovery coach or life coach. If finances do not allow for hiring a professionals or paraprofessionals, asking someone with long term recovery experience is still a very strong option. Ideally, this would be a sponsor or other strong supporter from a local 12 step program.

Follow Through

It's impossible to predict how the intervention itself will unfold. You can guarantee success if your expectations are simply to:

• Share the truth about your addiction.
• Ask for what you need.
• Seek accountability and support from the folks in your life who matter to you.

After the intervention you will be free to schedule time one-on-one and fine-tune plans. If we maintain contact, honesty and consistency, we are going to experience unprecedented success. Addiction affects every life, directly and/or indirectly. Allowing others to be part of the solution strengthens community and weakens the grip of addiction on us all.

Dealing with a loved one spiraling out of control, what to expect when police and paramedics get involved, and on obtaining an involuntary commitment order.

An article about dealing with a loved one spiraling out of control, what to expect when police and paramedics get involved, and on obtaining an involuntary commitment order.

Every so often I get a chance to sit down and write about some of my experiences in the field as a professional interventionist. And this just happens be one of those rare moments that I actually have the time to do just that, so here we go. I’m actually on a layover in Charlotte after completing a complex dual-diagnosis intervention case in a small agricultural town just outside of Sacramento, CA.

The case was full of twists and turns, involving a deputy sheriff, a dope dealer, paranoid delusions, and one very loving and determined family. This article was inspired by that case.

So, with all of that said, if you happen to be taking the time out of your busy day to read this article, someone that you care about is probably in need of immediate substance abuse and/or mental health treatment in one form or another.

Nevertheless, even though this is no way a pleasant subject to have to talk about at any time, I am glad that you somehow ended up here with me.

When First Responders Get Involved

As a professional dual-diagnosis interventionist with almost 20 years in the field, I am happy to share my experience, insight, and hope on the subject with anyone negatively impacted by addiction and mental illness. It’s not that I necessarily want people go out and try to handle serious crisis situations on their own, but rather I want concerned loved ones to have as much information at their disposal as possible before they act, especially when they probably need to do so expeditiously.

Let me make it crystal clear right from the beginning, when it comes to filing any legal documents for any form of court-ordered treatment, if your intention is to follow the letter of the law, consult with the best legal professional you can find. However, if your ultimate intention is to help create an environment conducive for long-term recovery for your loved one, while significantly reducing the potential for resentment and mistrust, then you may want to carefully consider all of your options before you take action.

Don't Hesitate to Call 911 If Necessary

Do not get me wrong, if your loved one is in need of immediate medical and/or psychiatric attention and they are categorically refusing it, do not pass go and call 911. In that case, there is no need to wait for a court to open up, a scheduled appointment with your family physician to occur, nor a trusted counselor to arrive on the scene. In my line of work, it’s almost always better to make an error on the side of caution and then have to deal with the fallout, than having to live with the consequences of inaction out of fear.

Many people are hesitant calling 911 for a variety of reasons, which may include -

• pending legal issues
• potential negative impact on a business venture
• having to deal with nosy neighbors
• and in many cases, a fundamental lack of confidence in the system

We will be getting back to having a fundamental lack of confidence in the system shortly. But until there is a better plan in place, I strongly recommend that you go ahead and call 911 if needed, regardless of whatever your issue with the process may be.

Helping Emergency Personnel - Don't Hold Back Information

Please keep in mind that I am in no way presenting myself as a legal professional in any manner, but rather as a professional interventionist who has worked with hundreds of families in crisis all over the country, helping them effectively cut right through bureaucratic red tape and statutory indifference with a strategically loving and laser-focused plan of action.

With that caveat firmly in place, I strongly recommend that if you do end up having to call 911, be sure to provide as much case-related detail as you can so that first responders have a much information as possible even before they arrive on the scene. Try not to hold anything back, no matter how insignificant, compromising, or embarrassing you think that the detail may be. In an all-out crisis situation, everything counts, and you should be all in.

If your loved one has a propensity for violence, it’s better to let police and paramedics know that as far in advance as possible, before they potentially end up having to find that out for themselves the hard way. Of course, the same goes for both suicidal attempts and statements, overdoses of any kind, and access to weapons. Let the professionals decide if the information is pertinent or not.

Dealing With a Loved One Spiraling Out Of Control

After what may end up feeling like an eternity, but might have in fact been only a few minutes, first responders will eventually arrive on the scene. In the interim, and even though you may be emotionally drained while simultaneously in a panic, you will need to somehow reach deep within your soul to try and muster up the internal fortitude to follow the 911 dispatcher’s instructions to the best of your ability.

Even If you have never actually experienced this type of excruciatingly gut-wrenching situation before for yourself, just try to imagine for a moment watching a loved one spiral completely out of control to the point at which they actually overdose right in front of you, or perhaps even threaten to kill themselves as a means by which to get away from all of the evil spirits hiding in their home. No matter how emotionally strong or well-grounded you may be, these types of situations can be a tipping point for anyone.

Nevertheless, once first responders arrive on the scene, let them do their jobs with as much collateral information and as little interference as possible. They will go right to work trying to take control of the situation on the ground, establishing some sense of order out of the chaos, and of course, working to ensure that your loved one is safe and out of harm’s way, at least for the moment.

Then, after all of their assessments have been completed, with all of those diastolic-like vitals and criteria-based questions checked and done, they will ultimately share their findings with you and make specific recommendations.

More than likely, with an obscenely apparent overabundance of both physical and circumstantial evidence, and without any real surprises, paramedics will recommend that your loved one at least agree to be observed by medical professionals in a hospital setting. And unfortunately,  that’s the moment when things seem to go statutorily sideways for a lot of families in crisis.

Before paramedics arrived, your loved one may have been cold and unresponsive after an apparent heroin overdose, or even appeared to be on the verge of jumping in front of a moving vehicle to “end it all.” Then after a dose of Narcan, some fluids, and a general fear of hospitals in general, they simply refused further care, and/or denied any intention, plan, or even thought of self-harm.

This is the moment when one of your greatest fears about calling 911 may end up being realized. No, not that your loved one was injured in a scuffle with a deputy, nor that they were going to be arrested for some old long-forgotten-about outstanding warrant from a neighboring county, but rather that your loved one is refusing further care and first responders do not feel that they are in fact currently presenting as an imminent danger to self or others.

Speechless and dumbfounded, you simply find yourself in disbelief that your loved one was able to talk themselves out of another situation! And perhaps equally as perturbing, that the whole system just seems to be broken.

Obtaining a Court Order for Involuntary Commitment

The cold hard truth is that whether your loved one is high on crystal meth and currently craving a whole bunch more, or down in the dumps about being monitored by aliens working for the Federal Government, if first responders do not feel as though your loved one meets your state-specific criteria for initiating an involuntary substance abuse & mental health assessment order, you can try your best to convince them otherwise, but more than likely, they are just not going to take any action that may in any way appear to be violating your loved one’s civil rights.

It’s important to keep in mind that although each state has its own variation of statutes that pertain to initiating an involuntary commitment, they all seem to basically agree that a person must currently present as a danger to themselves and/or others, while at the same time, refusing recommended care. This brings us to a statutorily confounding situation that I have witnessed on countless occasions.

At the end of the day, if your loved one refuses to accept help, and first responders find no statutory criteria for an involuntary commitment for a substance abuse and/or mental health assessment order to hold them with, your loved one will be free to go. And unfortunately, more than likely, go right back to engaging in the same concerning behaviors that caused all of your concern from the start.

Nevertheless, usually before police and paramedics end up leaving the scene, if it is clear that the person in question was truly in need of additional help, but their statutory hands were proverbially tied, they will encourage concerned family to file a petition/pleading for an involuntary substance abuse and/or mental health assessment in the local county court.

When the Law Intervenes

In this case, once again, a concerned family member will need to provide all collateral information and first-hand observations that demonstrate that an individual is in imminent danger of harm to self and/or others, and they have in fact refused help to a local magistrate. The magistrate will then decide whether or not that individual has met the state-specific criteria for an involuntary substance abuse and/or mental health assessment order.

If the magistrate does in fact sign your petition/pleading for an involuntary substance abuse and/or mental health assessment, depending upon the specific jurisdiction of the case, it is then sent to local law enforcement to be executed. And although this will not ensure the safety of a loved at that moment, it is definitely an avenue to explore in the near future, that is unless your loved one is only waiting for everyone to leave so that they can go back to what they were doing before you ended up trying to reach out for help.

Once again, this article should in no way preclude you from calling 911 during a substance abuse and/or mental health crisis, but rather to prepare you for the fact that additional action may be needed in the event that first responders cannot act based upon state statutes.

Image Copyright: Evan Jarschauer

Tips on running a successful intervention. Stick to the facts and avoid getting bogged down in debates about what’s true and what’s not.

This is the first article of an interventions tips series - don't miss the second and third articles - Tip #2: Assessing Addiction Severity and Tip #3 Assessing Treatment Need.

Tip # 1 - Whether in a formal intervention or a more casual discussion of concerns, don’t get bogged down in debate and don’t get into a waste-of-time discussion about how much or how often.

For example, here’s what you don't want:

"Mom, we’re all worried about you because you're drinking too much - You have 2 bottles of wine almost every night…"

"No, I do not! I do not drink that much at all. If you’re talking about last night when you saw those 2 bottles in the kitchen you should know I spilled half of the first one and shared the second bottle with a neighbor that stopped by - actually she had most of it!"

"OK, but what about last Tuesday when I came over and I had to use my key to come in since you were passed out on the couch?"

"Last Tuesday! You know I wasn’t feeling well and I had taken an antihistamine. Maybe I shouldn’t have had glass of wine with dinner but I have high blood pressure and it’s good for my heart so I try to have at least one every day. So what now - is taking an antihistamine a crime then? Why don’t you stop bothering me and go harass Doctor McClain who prescribed them. It’s more her fault than mine for not warning my of the side effects."

And so on and so forth…

In an intervention, it’s best to stick with 2 things:

1. Undeniable facts
2. Your own experiences and feelings (also undeniable)
   

You stick with these two incontestable types of statements to reduce the impact of denial and to avoid distracting squabbles about what’s true and what's not - after all, you’re running an intervention in the first place because a person you love either denies the existence of a problem or at least denies needing help.

Based on this reasoning, avoid:

• Centering your arguments for treatment need on how much or how frequently he or she drinks - do this and you’ll likely get pulled into a smokescreen debate. This line of reasoning leaves you wide open to distracting wiggle room.

Instead:

• Focus on the problems that result from the use of alcohol. She may say she doesn’t drink much but a DUI can't be denied, nor can medical problems like high blood pressure, nor can the way her drinking makes you feel…

Deception, Delusion and Manipulation of Truth

Alcoholics are grand-masters at minimizing the extent of their drinking. This is done to protect the drinking and to deter people from questioning the habit.

For example, you think your mom needs help for her drinking but she insists she only has 2 or 3 glasses of wine with dinner at night.

She swears it’s true and since this doesn’t sound like an outrageous amount you drop the issue, even though you’ve seen her looking worryingly intoxicated in the evening and haggard come morning.

In truth, she does only have 2 or 3 drinks per night, but when she pours from her box of wine into her oversize glass she easily adds 3 or 4 units of alcohol per ‘single glass serving’ and by the end of the night she’s well on her way to downing 2 whole bottles of wine.

She didn’t lie, but she didn’t exactly tell the truth either…

Instead, Focus on the Consequences of the Drinking

When drinking causes problems you have a drinking problem...

It doesn’t matter how much you drink, if your drinking causes you problems then you have a drinking problem, and if you can’t stop drinking even when it’s obviously causing you problems, then you probably need help.

Some examples of the types of problems you might want to bring up include:

• Legal problems stemming from alcohol use
• Health problems exacerbated by or directly attributable to alcohol use
• Falls or personal injuries resulting from alcohol use
• Problems at work or school related to alcohol use

Remember, Binge Drinking Can Be a Problem Too

Really heavy daily drinkers may get more attention, but people do not necessarily have to drink every day to have a problem that warrants intervention.

You might run a brief casual intervention just to express your concern over a binge drinking habit.

Regular binge drinking causes significant health problems. (Binge drinking is defined as drinking to a blood alcohol concentration of greater than 0.08 in a single session…usually about 5 or more drinks in 2 hours for a man, and 4 or more drinks in 2 hours, for a woman.)

People who regularly binge drink are at increased risk of:

• Diabetes
• Sexual dysfunction
• STDs
• Hypertension and other types of cardiovascular disease
• Trauma injuries
• Liver disease
• Brain damage¹

So of course, the amount consumed matters - it matters a great deal, it’s just not always the most useful lever to employ when convincing someone to get help.

Why does consumption matter?

Well, alcohol is a toxin and consuming a toxin in greater quantities tends to cause greater health problems. In fact, with alcohol, your risk of early death increases in a pretty much linear fashion with the amount you consume - the more you drink over a lifetime, the greater your risk of early death.²

The frequency and intensity of binge drinking sessions also relates directly, in a dose dependent fashion, with increased health consequences.

Interventions Save Lives

So the amount consumed matters, and though you can’t change the past you can always influence the future - and this is why life-changing interventions matter so much.

Remember:

1. Don't get sidetracked by denial and manipulation
2. You may not convince a person to quit drinking overnight, but by expressing your concerns honestly and openly you increase the odds of meaningful change at some point
3. By helping someone begin recovery you perform a great act of love and kindness, and if it goes well, you could add years of health and happiness to the lifespan of someone you care about

Keep reading for the second and third articles - Tip #2: Assessing Addiction Severity and Tip #3 Assessing Treatment Need.

Image Copyright: Cesarastudilla

How can you find a solution when you don’t understand the problem? By accurately assessing the severity of the addiction you are better able to select an appropriate level of care.

This is the second article of an intervention tips series. Continue reading with the first and third tips articles -  Tip 1: Avoiding Distractions and Debate.and Tip 3. Assessing Treatment Need.

You have to understand the problem before you can find a solution, but with addiction, this is a lot easier said than done...

To plan an intervention and to pre-arrange treatment you need to evaluate the severity of the situation.

You may find this difficult, since:

1. You are probably not an addiction treatment or mental health professional.
2. Substance use disorders (abuse and addiction) occur along a spectrum of severity, so unfortunately, you can't just say "he/she has a problem" - you have to figure out how serious it is too.
   

But though assessing the problem is challenging, you can’t run an effective intervention unless you know what you’re facing. Getting an accurate assessment of the severity of the problem helps you to:

1. Convince hold-out relatives, who may try to minimize the extent of the problem
2. Gain more understanding (and compassion) for what your loved one struggles with
3. Pre-arrange an appropriate level of treatment
   

How to Assess the Severity of the Situation

Firstly, you have to decide whether to enlist professional help or assess on your own.

Hiring a professional offers some significant advantages, such as:

• A professional brings experience and knowledge to the situation and likely improves your chances of correctly assessing the situation.
• Since an outsider doesn’t have an emotional history or connection to the family, she is neutral and unbiased (lacking a personal agenda). This may help all family members to receive her recommendations more openly.
• If you say there’s a problem, some family members may dispute your ability to make that judgment. If an outside expert, with legitimate authority diagnoses a problem, other family members are more likely to accept her determinations.

So in situations where family members disagree about the extent of the problem or where no one feels able to assess the situation, a professional can provide a lot of clarity and unity.

How to Find a Professional

You can contact any local (respected) addiction treatment program to find a qualified assessment professional.They will likely have an in-house staff member that can help you with an assessment, and if they don’t, they can almost surely recommend someone to help you.

So why might you not consult a professional?

• If money’s an issue, you need to think hard about how to best allocate your resources. In some cases, you may want to reserve that money to pay for treatment.

Assessing on Your Own

You won’t have to make the final determination about a level of care; this is likely beyond your level of expertise. Should your loved-one decide to initiate treatment, they will get a formal substance use assessment and receive a recommended level of care and treatment plan.

However, to zero in on what's needed, you will still want to understand the severity of the situation. The 2 assessment tools you’ll find below can help you with this. They are:

1. A severity of addiction related consequences assessment test (designed for family members).
2. The American Society of Addiction Medicine’s (ASAM) placement criteria – a tool professionals use to help determine an appropriate level of care.

The first test will help you to gain an understanding of the severity of the problem and the consequences related to use, and the placement criteria will help you gain a basic understanding of what variables influence your loved-one’s treatment needs.

Assessing the Severity of Consequences

Take a few minutes to answer the 34 questions assessment test below. It’s a test similar to one that clinicians give to family members when trying to evaluate the severity of a drug or alcohol use disorder. This test can be helpful for family members considering an intervention for a couple of reasons, such as:

1. It may help you to determine the severity of the problem - The more yes answers you score, the greater the negative consequences associated with use and the more serious the situation.
2. It provides a framework to help you consider the drinking or drug use. In most interventions you list examples of the harms you've observed. So whenever you answer yes to a question in the test below, you may want to think of specific behavioral examples that illustrate your answer. You can then choose from these examples later when planning your spoken contribution for the intervention.

The Severity of Addiction Related Consequences Test¹

Choose a response (yes or no) that best answers the question. If unsure, just answer to the best of your knowledge.

For simplicity’s sake, we will frame the test toward a male subject and use ‘he’, but the test is equally valid for both men and women.

1. Has he ever been hung-over or sick after drinking or drug use?
2. Has he ever gotten sick or thrown-up after drinking or taking drugs?
3. Has his drinking or drug use ever caused him to miss days at work or school?
4. Has he ever performed worse at school or work due to his drinking or drug use?
5. Has the drinking or drug use ever compromised his parenting?
6. Have family or friends ever complained or felt worried about the drinking or drug use?
7. Does he ever drink and drive or drive while high?
8. Does the drinking or drug use cause him to have poor eating habits (many alcoholics can become malnourished from ‘liquid meals’, many stimulant abusers may lose weight as they skip too many meals…)?
9. Has the drinking or drug use caused him to fail to meet responsibilities?
10. When drinking or using drugs, does his personality ever worsen (he becomes a person you like less)?
11. When drinking or using drugs does he ever do embarrassing things he would not otherwise do?
12. Does he ever take ill-considered risks when drunk or high?
13. Does he ever get into any kind of trouble because of his drug use or drinking?
14. Has his drinking or drug use ever caused him to speak cruelly or aggressively to someone else?
15. Has he ever seriously damaged a close friendship or relationship with a family member because of the drinking or drug use?
16. Has he ever lost a close friend because of his use of drugs or alcohol?
17. Has the drinking or drug use ever led to the destruction of a serious romantic relationship?
18. Has he ever regretted something impulsive he did while drunk or high?
19. Has he ever been in a physical fight while drunk or high?
20. Has the drinking or drugs harmed his health?
21. Has he ever had financial problems because of his drinking or drug use?
22. Has the drinking or drug use negatively affected his appearance?
23. Has his drinking or drug use caused any serious harm to his family?
24. Has his drinking or drug use ever led to jail or prison time?
25. Has he stopped doing things he used to enjoy because of his drinking or drug use?
26. Has he ever been arrested for DUI or DWI?
27. Has he ever had legal problems other than a DWI or DUI related to his drinking or drug use?
28. Has his drug or alcohol use damaged his reputation, popularity or social standing?
29. Has his drinking or drug use ever led to him spending or losing a great deal of money?
30. Has he ever been suspended or fired – or otherwise compelled to leave a job due to the drinking or drug use?
31. Has he ever been in an accident while drunk or high?
32. Has he ever been seriously physically hurt while drunk or high?
33. Has he ever seriously hurt another person while drunk or high?
34. Has he ever destroyed property while drunk or high?

The ASAM Addiction Treatment Placement Criteria²

The test above helps you to understand how the substance abuse affects quality of life. The placement criteria below may help you to understand what's needed to get better.

Addiction treatment isn't a one-size fits all type of care. Some of the more common care options include:

• Outpatient detoxification
• Residential non-medical detoxification
• Residential medical detoxification
• Evening outpatient classes
• Full-day outpatient program (returning home in the evenings)
• Residential care (most commonly known as ‘rehab’)
• Hospitalization

When considering what level of care fits the situation, professionals use the following 6 evaluation criteria:

1. Acute intoxication and withdrawal risks

Is the person coming into treatment while still high/drunk? Are complicated or dangerous withdrawal symptoms expected or possible? Yes answers to either question indicate a need for a higher intensity of care, such as possibly a residential medical detoxification.

2. Other health or medical problems or complications

All things being equal, a person with a serious co-occurring physical health condition may need a greater intensity of care than a generally physically healthy person.

3. Co-occurring mental-health or cognitive conditions or complications

People with mental illness generally require treatment which addresses addiction and mental health at the same time. Mental illness complicates treatment.

4. Readiness to change

A person who is ready and motivated to change may not require the same intensity of treatment as a person starting from a place of ambivalence.

5. Ability to maintain abstinence and avoid relapse

People who cannot maintain even short periods of abstinence are not good candidates for outpatient treatment.

6. Social and living environment (conducive to recovery?)

People lacking a safe and sober living environment generally require residential treatment, at least at the start.

Continue reading for the first and third tips articles -  Tip 1: Avoiding Distractions and Debate.and Tip 3. Assessing Treatment Need.

Image Copyright: Celeste

If marijuana is interfering with daily responsibilities, it becomes a problem. Here's what you need to know about a successful Marijuana Intervention.

If you have a loved one using marijuana, the legal stuff or not, no matter how they use it, by bong or by brownie, if it’s getting in the way of their ability to take care of normal daily responsibilities, it’s more than likely a real problem. And a problem is a problem. Right?  In this article, I'd like to show you what you need to know about a successful Marijuana Intervention.

Well, when it comes to talking about some of the more unpleasant side effects of using marijuana with your loved one, you may have already experienced how complicated answering that question may be.

The right to use marijuana for both recreational and medicinal purposes appears to be riding a wave of almost patriotic fervor across the nation, apparently now even backed by Big Tobacco, ready to capitalize on a previously taboo cash crop. And as marijuana use becomes more of a socially acceptable staple of both coming of age and legally dispensed mood-altering substances, families negatively impacted by its effects are finding it harder and harder to find qualified drug rehab industry professionals ready, willing, and able to help them.

When to Consider a Marijuana Intervention

From a treatment standpoint, one of the most common insurance-company-driven contentions is that marijuana use is not addictive, and therefore withdrawal is not an issue, theoretically making detox not a medical necessity, and thereby making it almost impossible at this time for treatment providers to actually get paid for their services if the presenting problem appears to be marijuana-related. 

Nevertheless, similar to alcohol and prescription medications, just because marijuana may be legal in your state, or even have real medicinal qualities, you may still be at risk of experiencing significant negative side effects, even if the substance is merely used in moderation, or by prescription. And therein lies one of the most challenging issues to explore when considering whether or not to plan a Marijuana Intervention. Just because your loved one may have experimented with marijuana, or perhaps even use it on a regular recreational basis, does not necessarily mean that they are now about to throw everything away just to keep using it. 

As a Professional Dual Diagnosis Interventionist, I receive calls throughout the day from families all across the country expressing concern for the welfare of a loved one who appears to be spiraling out of control. Their loved ones are usually presenting with a myriad of symptoms associated with disorders such as depression, anxiety, mood swings, and psychosis. While at the same time, they are almost always using any variety of mood-altering substances, now, more than ever, garnished robustly with marijuana somewhere in the mix. And, as with understanding the side effects of any drug, understanding the full impact of marijuana use may take some time, along with a more educated awareness of some common negative symptoms to watch out for:

Social Symptoms 

• Poor productivity at work
• Financial troubles
• Poor academic progress
• Legal issues
• Interpersonal conflicts

Psychological Symptoms

• Mood swings
• Paranoia
• Impaired judgment
• Hallucinations
• Memory loss

Physical Symptoms

• Drowsiness
• Slowed reaction
• Increased appetite
• Bloodshot eyes
• Poor coordination 

Even after carefully considering all of the symptoms highlighted above, you may still not be able to confirm with complete certitude that marijuana use, or for that matter, the use of any combination of mood-altering substances, is, in fact, the culprit holding your loved one back from being able to take care of their daily responsibilities, and in many cases, thoroughly disrupting family homeostasis and equilibrium. For a more robust perspective, and in some instances, I sometimes encourage prospective clients to try and talk about their concerns directly with their loved ones first before hiring me to come out to perform an Intervention. If someone is open to listening to your concerns, and then willing to get help to address those concerns promptly without incident, my services may be unnecessary at that time. While at the same time, if a Professional Intervention is in fact needed, I want my clients to feel as though they tried to get through on their own before bringing in professional outside reinforcements to do so. 

Getting Through to Them

From my experience, here is the best way to try and open up an understanding, meaningful, and non-judgmental dialogue with a loved one who appears to be experiencing negative symptoms of marijuana use:   

• Start by letting them know how much you care about them and exactly why you felt that it was important for you to share your concerns. From my experience, people usually don’t care how much you may know about them until they know how much you care.
• To reach your loved at their core, where self-esteem is metabolized, initially focus on their redeeming qualities along with specific examples of how they actually demonstrated those qualities through the years.
• Then present your concerns along with specific incidents that add depth and validity to your observations. Be as graphic as your comfort level, and your loved one will allow.
• Stay away from trying to tell your loved one how they should think, act, or feel. The goal in this approach is to provide an opportunity for your loved one to gain their own insight, thereby helping them feel as though they may now have the chance to take responsibility for themselves as they work to resolve the problem.
• Once you have shared all of your concerns, be prepared to let your loved one know that you are ready, willing, and able to help them figure it all out.
• Then give them a moment to absorb all of your observations. Patiently wait for their response, rebuttal, or refusal to accept any or all of your comments and help.
• If they are receptive and willing to get into action to address the identified problem, be prepared to connect them directly with resources that may be able to help.
• Nevertheless, if the conversation begins to go south, it might be best to retreat to a more emotionally secure fallback position early on, without engaging in an all-out debate about whether or not marijuana is legal, medicinal, and mind your own business!

With all of that said, in the event that you tried unsuccessfully to get through to your loved one in crisis on your own, it may now be the right time to enlist the help of a well-trained, compassionately-firm, and solution-focused Professional Interventionist to help before the situation on the ground goes from bad to worse, regardless of whether or not the problem is with marijuana, or any other combination of mood-altering substances, potentially co-joined with any myriad of underlying mental health issues.

And when it comes to planning a successful Intervention, time is always of the essence. However, when it comes to an Intervention in which marijuana use appears to be the primary mood-altering substance in question, at least from my experience, it’s essential to be as well versed in as many legal, medicinal, and social implications as possible that go along with its use. The reality is that as a Professional Interventionist, especially when it comes to planning for a successful Marijuana Intervention, I have to be able to comfortably refute, rebut, and reframe some of the most remarkably profound arguments in favor of marijuana use. One of the most common being that recreational marijuana use is akin to having cocktails after work with a friend in accounting. 

As you can see, actually deciding on whether or not your loved one is in fact in need of a Marijuana Intervention may not be that easy, given any number of mitigating factors. However, once again, at least from my professional vantage point, perhaps the most important overriding factor to consider is whether or not marijuana use is getting in the way of your loved one’s ability to take care of normal daily responsibilities and function independently. And if you do decide to move forward with an Intervention, one of the first decisions to make is whether or not you will be trying to manage the process yourself, or enlisting the services of a Professional Interventionist.

If you have been trying to get help for a loved one battling negative symptoms of marijuana use, even for only a brief period, you probably already understand how complex the situation can be, even if they happen to be covered under the most comprehensive insurance policy on the market. And as with any medical condition, most people would prefer to have a professional there by their side to help them care for a struggling loved one. However, when it comes to hiring a Professional Interventionist, most families find themselves carefully taking into account at least two main overriding factors, cost and comfort level. To help bridge the proverbial gap, I suggest that you reach out to a reputable and well-recommended Professional Interventionist for an initial complimentary consultation to discuss your individual case in detail. Be sure to address all of your concerns as well as financial constraints.

Staging the Marijuana Intervention

Finally, whatever the mood-altering substance may actually be, marijuana or not, or whether or not you decide to secure the services of a Professional Interventionist, like myself, here are some basic steps to follow in preparation for planning a proper Marijuana Intervention: 

Step 1

Select treatment options based on the presenting symptoms, as well as the resources available for care. Although treatment options may change during the process, it is essential to have initial programs available to choose from. 

Step 2

Start building an Intervention Team. Consider including those who have an emotionally vested positive interest in the welfare of your loved one, such as close family and friends, and perhaps even an employer who may be able to provide a healthy serving of caring leverage. 

Step 3

Then have everyone participating in the Intervention prepare an Impact Letter. Begin each letter with positive reinforcement and specific examples of redeeming qualities. Then outline concerns in a non-judgmental, caring, yet firm manner. Finally, complete the letter with a list of healthy boundaries that each member of the Intervention Team is willing to hold for accountability purposes. 

Step 4

Once everyone participating in the Intervention is prepared, and initial treatment options have been selected, present your concerns with care and conviction. If your loved one is not willing to accept help at the time of the Intervention, be prepared to follow through with all of the healthy boundaries previously established. 

Step 5

Finally, and thinking positively, once your loved one has accepted treatment, make sure they get to treatment in the most expeditious and organized manner possible following the Intervention to avoid any delay in the recovery process. 

Popular TV shows like Intervention and Dr. Phil would have us believe that people always change for the better when confronted. This simply isn’t true.

I’ve turned down a lot of jobs as an interventionist. When you’re on the outside looking in, you have an objective view of what people’s expectations are and can contrast them to what’s likely to happen.

Real Intervention Isn't Like TV

I’ve spoken to too many families that were inspired by watching shows like Intervention and Dr. Phil. These shows would have us believe that people always change for the better when confronted. This simply isn’t true.

Sometimes folks just bolt. Other times they deflect or attack the character or behavior of those who confront them. Family intervention scenarios can devolve quickly and leave well meaning (but ill prepared) folks feeling like they’ve failed. A well conceived and executed intervention never fails in the sense that the addict understands that people gathered out of concern and at the very least, a seed has been planted.

Healthy Expectations

The jobs I’m most likely to take are ones where the family is hopeful but is not expecting huge changes from the active addict. Rather, they seek clarity and demonstrate a willingness to explore how they may need to change. This requires intervention preparation and a willingness to identify ways in which (well intentioned as it may have been) we’ve protected our loved one from the natural consequences of their actions.

As counter-intuitive as it may seem, I urge folks to apologize for the ways in which they have enabled and to develop resolve regarding what they are and are not willing to do in the future. They are then free to express clear boundaries to their loved one regarding what they can anticipate moving forward. This must be done holistically. It can be painful to consider removing basic need fulfillment (food, shelter) but to not do so is to rob the addict of motivation for change.

Cohesion is Vital

The most effective interventions I’ve done were with family and friends who presented a truly unified front. They put aside other conflicts in favor of what they could all agree on. A good interventionist knows that divisiveness creates opportunities for splitting. If an active addict or alcoholic can pit folks against each other they will. Deflecting attention toward other conflicts is the most efficient means by which to avoid taking responsibility for themselves.

The Elephant Needs Naming

One of the most common mistakes that people make in addiction intervention is walking on eggshells. They’re so afraid of upsetting the addict that they speak in euphemisms. They express concerns that something bad will happen instead of saying, “I’m afraid that you will die.” Honest and direct statements of concern are far more beneficial. Subtleties lend themselves to being minimized and rationalized away.

"Shame On You"

While I encourage honest expressions of emotion, I strenuously object to guilt tripping or shaming an active alcoholic or addict. In the best of circumstances, it’s redundant. Active addicts already have excessive amounts of shame and guilt that are alternately repressed and overwhelming. The predictable responses to shame are either defensiveness and/or to shut down emotionally, neither of which support the mission of an intervention.

It’s vital that we allow folks to speak for themselves. If we say, “Look what you’re doing to mom!” , then we’re speaking for her and guilting the addict. I urge folks to use “I statements.” Talking about self (my feelings, wants, needs) does not as readily trigger defensiveness. When we say to our loved one, “You…”, there’s a far greater likelihood that their walls come up.

No Carrot, No Stick

Successful interventions do not include ultimatums, threats, or coercion of any kind. Nor do they include incentives, rewards, or bribes. If support is to be offered, it’s reasonable to place conditions relating to your loved one being clean/sober (Example: "I will only meet with you when you’re not using"). It’s important to consider measures that ensure personal safety if there is a history or indications of potential for violence (I will meet with you in public places).

Set clear limits as to what is being offered. Offer the invitation without expectation that it will be accepted. Attempting to force a course of action or attempting to manipulate a person into getting sober is guaranteed to fail.

Leave the Door Open

I encourage folks to choose ahead of time what lines of communication they will leave open. Things said in anger or haste during an intervention potentially result in severed ties.

If future contact will be allowed, how will it be welcomed? Get specific: email, text, phone, in person... Under what circumstances? Contingencies: After a set period of time, once they’ve entered treatment, anytime they’re sober, when they want to go to a meeting, or other stipulation that works for your family.

Today, with the voracious nature of the opioid epidemic spreading like wildfire all across the country, well-trained Intervention professionals are needed now more than ever before.

Today, with the voracious nature of the opioid epidemic spreading like wildfire all across the country, well-trained Intervention professionals are needed now more than ever before. In most cases, there is little time to wait for the addict to somehow come to their senses and reach out for help on their own, nor newly enacted legislation to somehow put all of the dealers and crooked doctors out of business. A qualified professional Interventionist acts as an intermediary between all those impacted by addiction by strategically raising the bottom of the addict with a clear plan of action and a compassionately unifying comprehensive approach. Furthermore, since they are not a member of the family, nor a friend of the individual battling the addiction, the Interventionist is able to bring an unbiased objective view of the proverbial road from the forest, acting as a confident guide through the darkness of the emotional brush.

An Intervention Benefits Everyone in the Family

From my own experience, by taking the role of the board certified expert outsider, I not only get more people successfully into treatment, but perhaps more importantly, I am able to do so with considerably less collateral damage, discord, and division within the family fabric, thereby creating an opportunity to thoughtfully provoke, entice, and challenge all of those impacted to explore strategies for their own interpersonal growth while the identified patient is doing the same while in treatment. In other words, by validating individual differences of opinion expressed during the Intervention with genuine concern, I avoid alienating anyone from the process. While at the same time, I gently infuse a sense of accomplishment by setting attainable goals for everyone involved. A good professional Interventionist should be able to provide both clear and decisive direction for everyone participating in the Intervention to follow, as well as a solid plan of action to promote long-term compliance and continuity of care in their absence.

Hiring a Professional Interventionist

Unfortunately, however, similar to price gouging in the aftermath of a natural disaster like a hurricane, the opioid epidemic has opened up the door to a whole host of unscrupulous opportunists seeking financial gain as they prey on the tragic suffering of others. Therefore, finding an ethical, experienced, and well-trained Interventionist who can manoeuvre effectively within the grey shadows of addiction requires a little extra homework along with some basic due diligence. With that said, there are a variety of things to look for when hiring a professional Interventionist that’s right for your particular situation. I understand that everyone has to start somewhere. Nevertheless, I recommend that you look for a professional with some real time in the trenches battling issues related to both substance abuse and underlying co-occurring mental health disorders. And although there is no question that personal, first hand experience with addiction provides definitive insight into the problem, I strongly recommend selecting an Interventionist who also possesses some level of formal solution-focused clinical training, preferably as a counselor or case manager in an actual treatment center. Furthermore, given the high correlation between substance abuse, especially amongst opioid users and crime, the Interventionist may also need to have some degree of experience working within the legal system depending on the particular details of your individual case.

For over a decade now, I have had the unique opportunity and privilege to work all over the country and throughout the world as a professional Interventionist. From casino floors in Las Vegas to boardrooms in the Big Apple, I have had to operate on the periphery, and in many cases, in the blurry shadows of addiction. Along with a few professional references, be sure to ask the Interventionist the following questions and make sure that you are comfortable with their answers before you agree to sign anything:

• How long have you been an Interventionist?
• Do you hold a state issued license or certification?
• Where did you receive your training?
• What is your experience with mental health cases?
• What are some court ordered treatment options?
• Will I need an attorney?
• How long should treatment last?
• What treatment centers do you recommend?
• How long are you involved in the case?
• Are there any additional costs for your service?
• What model or orientation of Intervention do you follow?

Real Interventions Not Like the Ones on TV

As far as my own professional experience goes, I will never forget attending my first real Intervention out in the field. It was an unpaid, on-the-job training on a cold day in late 2004. There were approximately six or seven of us including the lead Interventionist all huddled together in a small modest home somewhere on the outskirts of Tampa, Florida. I had just quit my job as a primary counselor at a residential treatment center where I was making a modest, yet steady income. The show Intervention was just taking off on the A&E Channel, and I thought that I would be a perfect fit for the job. I had pretty decent clinical skills, I loved to travel, I knew how to blend in like a chameleon, and perhaps most importantly, I seemed to have an uncanny ability to operate well under stress. I was also about to become a father for the second time, so the pressure was on to make my new career move work. After watching a few early episodes of the show Intervention I thought that I had it all figured out. At first, the client would argue a little bit with his girlfriend, maybe even storm outside for a few dramatic moments of finger pointing. He would then begrudgingly agree to come back inside the house where we would all get together and collectively tough love him into treatment right after his mother’s emotional plea to get help. By the end of the day, with a few last parting words of encouragement and support, he would ride off to the airport in a white Dodge Caravan. Needless to say, I had it almost all wrong.

Care, Concern & Experience Are Key

Right from the get-go it sure looked like we were off to a bad start. Like I said, although this was my first real professional Intervention out in the field, I really didn’t need a whole lot of experience or training to tell that the client was in a very, very bad place. And his underlying anger was more than crystal clear when he asked the Interventionist in a deep raspy monotone, “why are you here” and “why are you talking to my daughter?” Nevertheless, being the eternal optimist that I was at the time, and believe it or not, continue to be to this day, I still had high hopes for a successful outcome. That was right up until the moment that the client retreated back into his bedroom after hearing his daughter tearfully finish up her impact letter. Within less than a minute or so, the unmistakable sound of a shotgun being cocked reverberated through the thin drywall of his modest home. When he re-emerged from his bedroom, he appeared flushed with anger and fury, shouting at the top of his lungs, “get out of my house, now!” At that point, there was no doubt that he definitely wasn’t prepared to feel the brunt of the pain and anguish that his addiction had caused the family all of those years. I have to admit that I was more than petrified at the time, and that every so often I still have the occasional flashback. Nevertheless, it was at that moment, during my very first training assignment that I knew without any shadow of a doubt that I had found my calling. Select an Interventionist who is passionate about the work that they do, while demonstrating genuine care and concern for the families that they serve, even under the most stressful circumstances.

Today, even with all of my years of experience in the field of addiction and mental health Intervention, I am humble enough to admit that I truly do learn something new every day. And although I have accepted the fact that I will never be as medically talented as a brain surgeon, I do liken the Intervention to brain surgery, in that once you get started with the procedure, there is no stopping midway for a break, nor coming back the next day to finish up. It all has to somehow seamlessly come together and flow with a well thought out plan of action as well as multiple contingency plans in the event that something goes sideways during the process. I have had to rely heavily on my own resourcefulness, along with plenty of insightful manipulation of my surroundings to somehow make it all work. For the better part of my career, I have worked well behind enemy lines, embedded deep within the underbelly of addiction and mental illness, well outside the perceived safety and sanctity of an actual counseling office. And over the years, I have learned how to exponentially increase the prognosis for a successful outcome by unearthing robust, meaningful, and comprehensive healthy boundaries which ultimately become the foundation of accountability measures within the Intervention. Find an Interventionist who knows how to map out your specific set of healthy boundaries, while demonstrating the ability to then present them with dignity, respect, and conviction to your loved one in crisis.

Things to Consider

Finally, once you have determined that the Interventionist has plenty of experience and appears to genuinely care, I suggest that you complete your search for the best candidate for the job with this last set of questions. Look for decisive detailed answers that fully satisfy your collective concerns:

• What happens if the client asks us to leave their home?
• When should we have the Intervention?
• What day and time of the day is best for the Intervention?
• What happens if local law enforcement tell us that we have to leave?
• What if the client is willing to go to treatment, but at a different program?
• What happens if the client is willing to go to treatment, however, at a future date?
• Will we need a court order for treatment?
• Who should attend the Intervention?
• What if the client asks to use/get high one more time?
• What do we do if a friend or a significant other tries to sabotage the process?
• What happens if the client becomes violent or suicidal during the Intervention?
• How can we stop the client from walking out of the Intervention, or simply driving away?

Along with all of your love, concern, and determination, a well-trained and caring Intervention professional will help bring everyone impacted together with a unified voice of hope, a clear direction, and a collective call to action.

Does your teenager have a problem with drugs or alcohol? You may very well need take some form of immediate action. The sooner the correct treatment regimen is started, the higher the prognosis for long-term recovery.

Recovery is possible at any age. However, similar to the treatment of many diseases, disorders, and conditions, the sooner the correct treatment regimen is started, the higher the prognosis for long-term recovery.

Whether you have strong reason to believe, or you know for a fact that your teenager has a problem with drugs or alcohol, you may very well need take some form of immediate action. Given the exponential surge in the use of designer synthetic drugs alone, there is just no time to wait for that perfect time to talk to your teen about your concerns. Although you might not necessarily make any headway, as long as you come from a place of heart-felt understanding, and you keep your cool, you can’t mess it up.

Just remember you used to be in their shoes, experiencing some of the same peer pressure, experimenting with life, all with the desire to fit in and find a place of acceptance. In the event that your teenager does admit to having a problem with drugs or alcohol, be prepared to get them to the appropriate treatment provider as soon as possible.

On the other hand, if your teenager is unwilling to address your concerns, or does so with manipulatively divisive and disruptive oppositional defiance, you may want to seriously consider planning a professional teen intervention before the situation at home becomes progressively more complicated, unmanageable, and toxic for everyone involved.

Planning a successful teen intervention can be broken down into 7 basic steps:

STEP 1:

Case Conceptualization

Planning a successful teen intervention is analogous to planning for major surgery, in that each strategically loving move must be made with attention to detail and with surgical precision, even in the heat of the moment.

Although many families try to conduct the intervention on their own, without the guidance, direction, and support of a trained professional interventionist on site, it is almost impossible for them to collectively maintain the steady and objective hand required to effectively maneuver through the process alone. This is one of the main reasons that it strongly suggested to secure the services of a well-trained, competent, and caring professional teen intervention counselor. If you are in need of one, feel free to reach out and I will help you find one that meets your individual needs.

Case conceptualization is the foundation for the teen intervention. It provides the historical detail necessary to help paint the picture from the perspective of both the teen and their and respective family members with definition and clarity. Since I may have to take a person to the edge, show them what’s down below, and how far it can go, I have to be able to carefully gauge each person’s limitations and strengths. And by understanding some of their most significant milestones, deficits, and disorders, I am able to create an intimate and personal bond which I then use to help strengthen the foundation of the intervention. In other words, just like in public speaking, you have to know your audience. Furthermore, the professional teen intervention counselor must be able to relate to the family on a personal level, while at the same time, maintain order, control the chaos, all the while leading with commitment, conviction, and compassion, ultimately bringing everyone back safely to the solution.

And finally, case conceptualization is an integral part of establishing an initial plan for treatment. Like I said from the beginning, “the sooner the correct treatment regimen is started, the higher the prognosis for long-term recovery.” So with that said, it is imperative to select a treatment center and/or a course of treatment that is not only able to address the issues present at the time of the intervention, but one that can also effectively treat major issues potentially lying dormant just beneath the mantle of teenage angst as well.”

STEP 2:

Establish Healthy Boundaries

From my experience, one of the most powerful therapeutic tools to effectively bore right through the sometimes seemingly impenetrable bedrock of teenage denial and resistance is the healthy boundary.

The healthy boundary essentially represents a specific targeted action that a person, or a group of people are prepared to support as a means by which to strategically move another person to take responsibility for their maladaptive decisions and behaviors. By working closely with a well-trained and caring professional intervention counselor, the family is able to establish, and if need be, implement and uphold these healthy boundaries from an objective standpoint, thereby increasing the efficacy of their use during the intervention process. In conjunction to sound professional guidance, direction, and treatment recommendations, I firmly believe that the success of the teen intervention is firmly rooted in the collective loving power of the family to hold and uphold these healthy boundaries. Below are some of the most significant factors to consider when establishing effective healthy boundaries for a professional teen intervention:

• Personal finances
• Housing options
• Legal issues
• Family relationships
• Reputation
• Spiritual beliefs
• Education
• Medical conditions
• Significant others
• Employment

While healthy boundaries are being established, it is important to recognize that they are meant not as a punishment, but rather as a means by which to help raise your teen’s bottom, thereby creating just enough strategically loving discomfort to help nudge them in the right direction. At this point, it is also important to thoughtfully consider how your teen is going react and respond throughout the intervention process. Carefully consider secure contingency plans to address the following scenarios:

• Becomes belligerent
• Threatens/attempts to harm self
• Runs away

STEP 3:

Share Hope

In addition to establishing a well-defined set of healthy boundaries, as well as a series of comprehensive contingency plans, in my opinion, it is essential to begin the teen intervention with a positive message of hope for the future with a warm and candid look at redeeming personal qualities and cherished memories.

I actually encourage intervention participants to share photos and mementos, such as trophies and plaques during the first part of the teen intervention. And as far as who should actually participate in the intervention, for the most part, it should be limited to the people who mean the most to the teen and who are in full support of holding and upholding the healthy boundaries established to support the intervention process.

STEP 4:

Express Concerns

Once a positive and empathetic intervention tone has been established, each member of the family and invited friends are asked to highlight concerning changes in appearance, behavior, and attitude in the second part of the intervention. I then ask them to express how those changes have negatively impacted their own individual lives.

Without actually asking the teen to admit to having a problem with drugs or alcohol, the goal of the second part of the intervention is to simply help the teen recognize that their actions are negatively impacting the lives of those around them, the people that they love the most. As a matter of fact, in the event that the teen begins to admit to the problem prior making a firm commitment to accept the help outlined in Step5: Offer Treatment, I usually redirect them to hold off until they are ready and willing to do so.

STEP 5:

Offer Treatment

Besides researching my professional background on the internet, families tend to ask me a lot of challenging questions as part of their due diligence. I actually expect them to ask tough questions. It comes with the territory. I understand that people need to have confidence in my ability to get the job done, and then trust in the intervention process itself. Therefore, I have to be able to address their collective concerns with an honest, candid, and solution-focused approach. One of the most commonly asked questions is: “Has anyone not gone to treatment after the intervention.” Once again, similar to surgery, there is no way to guarantee an outcome. As a matter of fact, I suggest that families stay far away from any practitioner that does. Nevertheless, I do guarantee to plan accordingly and to apply all the intervention tools and resources at my disposal to significantly increase the prognosis for a successful outcome.

From my experience, offering the best possible and most clinically sound treatment option is one of the most important factors impacting the long-term success of the intervention process. As I stated in Step 1: Case Conceptualization, “it is imperative to select a treatment center and/or a course of treatment that is not only able to address the issues present at the time of the intervention, but one that can also effectively treat major issues potentially lying dormant just beneath the mantle of teenage angst as well.”

After each family member has had an opportunity to express their individual set of concerns, they are then directed to ask the teen the following simple question: “Will you please accept this gift of treatment today?” The direction and mood of the intervention has a tendency to shift significantly following their response to the question.

If the teen agrees to accept the family supported plan for their treatment without any significant debate and/or battle, we can start to wrap things up with lots of loving support and encouragement, help them pack accordingly for their new environment, and judiciously head out on our way to the pre-selected treatment program. If the teen remains defiant and unwilling to choose to accept the gift of treatment being offered to them, it may be time to gradually begin Step 6: Introduce Healthy Boundaries.

STEP 6:

Introduce Healthy Boundaries

For most families, the most dreaded part of planning for a successful teen intervention is actually having to follow through with the set of healthy boundaries created during Step 1: Case Conceptualization. Although I naturally want the intervention to go as smoothly as possible, I also understand that healthy boundaries can help to reinforce the recovery process long after the intervention is over, like steel rods in cement.

In the event that your teen remains defiant and unwilling to accept treatment even after everyone has had an opportunity to share their fond memories and express their deepest heart-felt concerns, it is probably time to introduce healthy boundaries, gradually implementing each boundary as needed in order of expected level of impact with the most significant ones shared last.

As each boundary is crossed, the expectation is that the teen will ultimately agree to accept treatment as a means by which to stop any further discomfort-causing action. At the end of the day, it may not matter whether or not you actually had to share the healthy boundaries with your teenager, as long as they ended getting the help they needed and your family felt good about both the process and the outcome. As a matter of fact, sometimes it’s better to experience resistance at the time of the intervention, rather than having to try and fight an unexpected battle down the road all alone with a highly intelligent and equally manipulative teen, after all of the extended family has gone back home to cities like Boston, Miami, Dallas, New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, or Newark.

STEP 7:

Support the Process

After your teen finally agrees to enter into treatment, and most of the emotional dust and debris from the intervention has settled down, it’s time for everyone to begin to support the recovery process. At the same time, make every effort to provide their counselors with as much historical detail as possible. Include both the redeeming qualities and the collective concerns of the family outlined during the intervention. And make sure that you keep a list of the healthy boundaries on hand at all times, just in case they need to be revisited at any point along the road to recovery. Without suggesting that anyone was to blame for causing the addiction, the family should be encouraged to take both an individual and collective look at their own unique set of issues and how those issues may have in some way contributed to the overall duration and severity of the symptoms.

The reality is that with enough love and leverage, your teen will ultimately go to treatment, there is a light at the end of the proverbial tunnel, and teens do recover. Simply put, use the time apart to work on your own set of underlying issues with the goal of creating a more recovery-oriented home environment.

At some point, your teen will be coming home, perhaps even as an adult. Nevertheless, here are some recovery-oriented therapeutic interventions and support groups to help you do your part to support the recovery process for everyone involved:

• Family therapy
• Individual therapy
• Marital counseling
• Al-Anon
• Alateen
• Alcoholics Anonymous
• CoDa
• Narcotics Anonymous

Interventions are most commonly used to help convince a reluctant loved one of the need for addiction treatment, but interventions can also be used to convince people with eating disorders, sex addiction, gambling disorder, OCD and other compulsive or destructive behaviors of a need for treatment and change.

Although people most commonly associate interventions with drug or alcohol addiction or substance abuse, interventions are simply a tool to convince a person needing some form of treatment or change in life to accept the help that’s being offered.

An intervention can help a person who struggles with any number of destructive or compulsive behaviors or addictions, particularly when a loved one minimizes or denies the extent or existence of the problem as a rationale to continue on as they are. Some examples of situations that may call for an intervention are:

• Alcoholism
• Drug addiction
• Gambling addiction
• Sex addiction
• Porn addiction
• Internet addiction
• Eating disorders (Anorexia, Bulimia, Compulsive overeating etc.)
  
• Compulsive spending or shopping
• OCD
• Hoarding
• Having an elderly relative move to an assisted living environment
• Others

Why Do Interventions Work for So Many Different Types of Problems?

Interventions have little to do with alcohol or drugs and a lot to do with getting someone you love to accept the help you are offering, no matter what type of help that is. People with different types of addictions and destructive behaviors may deny the existence of a real problem and may believe their actions have little impact on their loved ones.

It is very difficult, however, to deny that your actions are hurtful to those around you when everyone you love sits down with you to ask you to get help and to give specific examples of how your actions do everyone harm – and this holds true whether you’re drinking, using cocaine, overspending or harming yourself with disordered eating.

The challenges may differ but no matter what problem a loved one struggles with, the principles of effective interventions remain the same.

• Prepare well – interventions are emotional and difficult events and your team needs to be ready to do the job well
• Get as many friends and loved ones involved as you can
  
• Give specific examples of how the addiction or negative behavior has done harm
• Ask the person to get help or make some sort of real change
• Provide clear and concrete consequences for choosing to deny this offer of help
• Do it all with love – keeping anger and hurt and blame and shame out of the equation
  

When to Call in an Expert

Family run interventions can be effective, provided they are well planned and executed and run with caring and love. In some situations, however, it pays to have an expert on board who can guide the family through the challenging preparation period and help to ensure that the actual event runs as it should.

Although the services of a professional interventionist don’t come cheaply (likely a few too many thousands of dollars after all is said and done) they can help you to assess the situation accurately and make a good treatment choice and they can help to improve the odds that your intervention will lead to a desired outcome.

While not everyone will need the services of a professional, expert advice is strongly recommended in some situations, such as when:

• The person has a history of serious mental illness
• The person is likely to react with strong denial and minimize the extent or existence of the problem
  
• The person may react violently or has a history of violence
• The person has been talking about suicide or given other behavioral indications of self harm or suicidal intent¹

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Why you need to prepare a personal script to read before an intervention and the 5 components of an effective letter.

You run an intervention to break through a wall of denial and to convince a loved one to get the help they need.

During an intervention, you need your loved one to feel concern and compassion rather than blame and shame and he or she needs to understand how serious things have become, how the behaviors of addiction affect everyone in the family and that things can’t go on as they have been any longer.

An intervention’s persuasive strength emerges out of the compassionate repetition of the facts of the situation from all loved ones assembled for the meeting – so it’s important that everyone participating be ready and able to communicate the necessity of treatment.

However, because interventions can get emotional and because you need to stay focused on conveying an important and compassionate message, you should always write out what you want to say in advance.

The Intervention Letter

The script each person reads during a family intervention is called the intervention letter.

Ideally, you want your letter to:

1. Communicate genuine love and compassion, and to convey that you only want to see your loved one get better
2. Help the subject realize the severity of their situation
3. Help the subject to understand that their ‘private’ actions cause hurt and pain to those who love them
4. Clearly express that you wish them to accept the offered treatment
5. Clearly express the consequences you will impose if they choose not to accept the treatment that is offered

To ensure that you include all the necessary ingredients, try writing your intervention letter as 5 separate segments that make up a powerful whole.

Section 1 - Communicating Love and Compassion

In the first section of the letter you write to remind the subject of your love and concern, of shared emotional bonds and of memories of good times which precede the current situation.

For example:

“Brother I want you to know that I really love and respect you. You always looked out for me while we were growing up and sometimes I wish we could go back to those summers we spent at the cottage as kids, when it was just you and me playing in the lake from dawn till dusk. I have always admired you and when you moved out and got that big job in the city it inspired me to start working a little harder so I could get a good job like you someday. “

It doesn’t matter what you say, as long as it’s genuine.

Section 2 - Writing about the Seriousness of the Current Situation

Many people use denial as a defense mechanism to avoid confronting a problem. In this second segment you need to get your loved one to understand how bad things have become.

To help circumvent denial:

• Because your loved one may be ready to dispute your statements you should offer incontestable facts as examples of the severity of the situation, rather than opinions.
• To avoid getting bogged down in a distracting semantics debate, you’re better off avoiding labeling words, like addict or alcoholic. You don’t need to convince a loved that they are an ‘alcoholic’, but you do want them to see and accept, for example, that the drinking is affecting their health.

Offer a few factual examples of how you see the drug or alcohol use degrading your loved one’s health or quality of life.

For example:

“Son, I can see that alcohol is causing you significant problems in your life. Over the past 3 years you have been arrested for 3 DUIs and on the last occasion in September you had to spend 2 weeks in jail and you lost your license and your job because of it. You have dangerously high blood pressure and drinking makes that worse. You are not supposed to mix your medications with alcohol but you drink on them every day. Your ex wife Christina listed your drinking as one reason for her divorce application and as a reason why she deserved (and ultimately received) sole custody of your daughter Jessica.”

Section 3 - Writing about How the Abuse Affects You Personally

This third segment also aims to puncture through the fantasy of denial.

In the previous section you listed undeniable facts as evidence of the severity of the problem, and in this section you list specific examples of how your loved one’s substance abuse has done you personal harm – and how you have felt because of it.

To defeat the, “It’s my body I can do what I want with it!” mentality, you want to illustrate that though only one person ingests the drugs or alcohol, the consequences of that abuse get shared out across the family.

For example:

“Mom, last month I asked you to come to my graduation ceremony. When you got there I could tell that you had taken a lot of pills because you were slurring your words and walking unsteadily. During the ceremony you fell asleep and everyone noticed and I was really embarrassed and felt really sad. It was supposed to be my day to feel good but it turned into just another day when I had to be worried about what you were going to do.”

You don’t want your loved one to write off your words as the product of isolated incidents, so it’s best if you provide a few examples of the consequences you have observed and the consequences you have experienced personally.

Section 4 - You Ask Your Loved One to Get Help

You gather in an intervention to ask a loved one to accept the treatment help that is offered.

“I care about you. I want to see you get better. Will you please accept this offer of addiction treatment?”

There is power in the repetition of this request. It’s useful for every person at the intervention to ask directly so that the subject of the intervention understands clearly that everyone assembled wants the same outcome.

Section 5 - You List the Consequences

An intervention is an expression of love, but by necessity - it is sometimes an expression of tough love.

You run an intervention to get a loved one into treatment as quickly as possible, and though there is real power in stories of hurt and love, you sometimes need the carrot and the stick - and this is where the consequences segment of the letter comes into play.

Every person participating in the intervention needs to decide on some consequences to impose if the treatment offer gets refused.

You must be willing to carry out any threatened consequences, the consequences should take effect as soon as possible after a refusal to accept help and you should make sure you clearly communicate the exact nature of the consequences in this last part of the intervention letter.

For example:

“Son, I love you too much to watch you hurting yourself any longer. If you choose to refuse this offer of treatment then you can no longer live in my house and I will no longer support you financially.”

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Planning a safe and successful mental health intervention requires a clear, comprehensive, and compassionate plan. Rather than trying to break down the seemingly impenetrable walls of mental illness on your own, consider breaking right through them with professional help.

The hardest thing to see is an object that exists only in the mind of someone else. 

If you have ever lived or worked with someone suffering from severe symptoms of anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, schizophrenia, or any combination thereof, you can probably relate. 

No matter how hard you may have tried to cheer them up, or calm them down, most of your heart-felt rational support seemed to always end up splattered somewhere on the side of a proverbial brick wall.

So rather than trying to break down the seemingly impenetrable walls of mental illness all alone, consider breaking right through them with a carefully planned, comprehensive, compassionate, and professional Mental Health Intervention.

Safety First! ... Be Prepared

When it comes to actually planning a successful mental health intervention, safety is by far the most important factor to consider.

Before going any further into the planning process, if you feel that the individual is likely to cause serious bodily harm to self or others in the near future as evidenced by recent behaviors, do not pass go, and dial 911 for immediate assistance!

Involuntary Commitment Order - Don't Rely On It

Be prepared to have a well-educated or duty-driven paramedic or police officer tell you, “I’m sorry there’s nothing we can do right now,” even after you have presented your best case and all of the evidence.

It is usually not because they do not 'get it,' or recognize the potential risk - it is often because as much as they may want to initiate an involuntary commitment order such as a 5150 in California, a Baker Act in Florida, or a 302 in Pennsylvania, the paramedic or law enforcement officer can only do so within the terms and conditions outlined in their applicable and respective state statutes. In other words, they are not going to break the rules, question the system, and thereby potentially subject themselves to reprimand for going above, beyond, and then outside the call of duty.

After Emergency Services Have Left

Nevertheless, once the paramedics and police have left the scene after making their field assessment, the individual who may have appeared to have been relatively rational, cooperative, and coherent, could end up acting out again once the coast appears to be clear. Unfortunately, this time the symptoms could end up being much more intense and volatile, fuelled by pent up anxiety, anger, and shame.

Get Professional Intervention Help

If you are ready to move forward with a mental health intervention for a loved one suffering with symptoms of anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, schizophrenia, or any combination thereof, consult with a trained mental health intervention specialist.

An Intervention Counselor's Perspective

In my opinion, conducting an intervention is similar to performing major surgery. It is not that I could ever actually put my hands into an open chest cavity to unclog a blocked artery, but rather that in most cases I do feel that it is a matter of life and death, or at least a matter of being able to live a full and productive life, versus being trapped, stuck, and wasting potential while suffering alone in the deafening silence and despair of mental illness. Therefore, there really is no room for failure in my work!

Furthermore, once I begin to perform the intervention I have to follow a carefully planned protocol, one that has to be presented in, and supported with a unified approach. While at the same time, there also has to be series of well-designed contingency plans in place to address both expected and even unforeseen obstructions along the way.

To heighten the intensity of the process even more, a mental health intervention is usually time-sensitive, a race against the clock until the next crisis, hospitalization, or incarceration. There is no time to take a break once you get started. Therefore, I have to be prepared to keep working until the identified individual in crisis is safely in treatment, whether on a voluntary or involuntary basis.

If you have any questions regarding planning for a safe and successful comprehensive, compassionate, and professional mental health intervention, please feel free to reach out.

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Step 1 – answer the questions in this article. Step 2 - take this information to an addiction professional. Step 3 – get a treatment recommendation.

Getting appropriate treatment planned-out before you go ahead with your intervention makes good sense. This way, should your intervention achieve its intended goal and convince your loved one to get help, you are ready for a seamless transition into care.

Unfortunately, there are a lot of different addiction treatment options and not everyone or even most people need to go to rehab – and since you’re probably not an addiction professional you probably don’t have a clue what’s needed.

Fortunately, the information in this article can help you with this problem.

By answering the questions below and by taking the information you collect to an addiction professional, you can get a general recommendation for an appropriate treatment starting point. With this you can begin treatment-planning for your intervention.

Also, make sure to read Intervention Tip 1. on avoiding distraction and debate and Intervention Tip 2. on assessing the problem.

How to Find Appropriate Care

The needs assessment is the first essential step of the treatment process. This assessment helps addiction professionals decide on what type of treatment is most appropriate and make a treatment plan. You can’t do this without your loved one (so this will be done prior to treatment entry) but you can get a better idea about what’s needed by:

1. Collecting the type of information that’s analyzed at an assessment.
2. Asking an addiction professional to look-over this information and estimate treatment-need.
   

After getting this estimate, you’ll have a better idea of the types treatment to look for:

• Whether or not a medical detox is likely a necessary.
• Whether your loved-one needs residential care or whether they are better served with an outpatient program.
• Whether you or other family members may play a role in continuing treatment.

Collecting Information for a Treatment Assessment

1. Answer the following questions, to the best of your abilities (leave anything blank that you can’t answer).
2. Give this information to an addiction professional or to the intake person at any treatment program you are considering.
3. Answer any other questions that they may have for you.

By following these three steps, you should get an appropriate treatment recommendation (though this can’t be finalized until the in-person assessment takes place).

According to SAMHSA, information needed for a treatment assessment includes answers to the following questions:¹

• How long has the drug or alcohol abuse been going on for? What kinds of drugs or alcohol are being consumed and in what quantities?
• Has the person ever tried to quit or control their use before? Have they ever tried any form of treatment before?
• Does the person have any current co-occurring physical health problems? Does the person have a history of any serious physical health diseases or conditions?
• What medications does the person currently use and in what amounts?
• Does the person have any co-occurring mental or behavioral health problems?
• Are there any family problems that complicate the situation?
• Are there legal or financial problems that could affect treatment options?
• What is the person’s education background? Are there any school performance issues or problems that are relevant to the situation?
• What is the person’s current employment situation? Are there any work performance issues or problems that are relevant to the situation?
• What is the person’s current living situation? Is the home environment stable? Is the home environment conducive to recovery? Are there other people with alcohol or drug problems in the same living environment?
• Are there any cultural or language issues that could affect treatment needs?

With this information a professional should have enough to give you a ballpark treatment recommendation.

Continue on with Intervention Tip 1. on avoiding distraction and debate and Intervention Tip 2. on assessing the problem.

Image Copyright: Michael Behrens

Consider the common pitfalls of intervention and how to avoid them. As difficult as this process is, there's a lot we can do to prepare ourselves.

Television shows have given us misguided beliefs about how to effectively intervene in the lives of people who are active in addiction. The shows are good theater, but most do not show the reality of intervention as an ongoing process as opposed to a one time discussion. People’s lives do not often change dramatically in under an hour. The most common mistake people make in intervening is not being on the same page with themselves and others involved regarding expectations, delivery, and follow through.

What do you hope to accomplish?

Before we seek to address conflicted feelings and concerns with others, we must have a reasonable degree of clarity with ourselves and those we seek to involve. The most effective interventions are similar to well organized meetings. There should be an agenda based on what can reasonably be addressed.

Addicts are master manipulators. If there is an opportunity to create conflict within us and/or between ourselves and others they will find it. While we may have different visions of what a successful outcome for the addict is, we must agree not to engage in conflict, nor tolerate attempts to focus on what divides us during the intervention.

Addicts are brilliant at deflecting and preying upon our doubts. This is why resolve is key. If we approach an intervention with uncertainty we have little to convey. Those active in addiction are brilliant in their ability to rationalize and justify. Debating or arguing any issue with someone active in addiction is a lost cause.

The wisdom of recovery dictates that we act on our convictions without expectation of reciprocity. Going into an intervention with expectations of self is healthy. Going in anticipating what the outcome for the addict will be is not. This is a process of sharing information, concerns, and sharing the availability of support in change processes.

Make every attempt to leave the intervention with clear boundaries. Moving forward, there should be lines drawn as to what we are and are not willing to do. If you are willing to offer support but not willing to enable, these lines must be clear and consistently upheld.

Consider your delivery

Addicts generally respond to intervention with either shame or defensiveness. Shaming an addict is redundant at best and there is no way to win if we choose to attack and defend. Guilt is a very poor motivator as well. If you wish to express your feelings, do so, but do it with enough vulnerability that you are informing and not admonishing.

For meaningful change to occur, accountability and responsibility are paramount to all else. A person who is unwilling to take ownership of their addiction and to acknowledge the ways in which it has affected others is a person who is unlikely to make any significant or lasting changes.

Many interventionists suggest threatening consequences for non compliance. Based on 10 years of clinical experience working with families and addicts I have to disagree.  Don’t make threats. The best interventions are centered upon where an addict is today not where they’ve been in the past nor where they could be in the future. If you need to withdraw support or stop enabling then do so. Make this decision before going into the intervention and do not negotiate.

Don’t make promises or conditional offers. Bribing or enticing an addict to cease their using is always a step in the wrong direction. Recovery begins when a person takes stock of what their disease has cost them and decides they are no longer willing to pay. Getting clean and sober for someone else’s benefit is highly unlikely to work. Getting clean and sober for a future reward is doomed to fail. Upon receiving the reward, the addict is no longer motivated to stay clean and sober. Recovery is its own reward. The reclaiming and/or development of self respect and integrity are foundational to having a manageable life.

Following up

There are very real limits to what can be accomplished in a single intervention. The most likely outcome of any intervention in the short term is that the addict will continue to use. They will do so however, with the knowledge that others know of their addiction and with less protection from the natural consequences of their actions (enabling). The collective wisdom and experience of the 12 steps tells us there is a time and a place for all things and when the addict has suffered enough (“hitting bottom”) there is always hope of change.

If you are invested and want to see your loved one make a full recovery then consider what you might be willing to do in support of their efforts. Continuing to reach out even with a phone call or email sharing a willingness to support positive change shows that you care.

Do not allow relapse to dissuade you. We urge loved ones to disengage when the addict shows signs of being under the influence. We also encourage you to consider that recovery from addiction is one of the most difficult things any person can accomplish. It’s rare that people simply stop and never use again. Each of us is the power of example and a lifeline to those seeking recovery from addiction.

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