If a family member or friend is struggling with addiction, they would likely benefit from a treatment program at an addiction treatment center. However, if they have not expressed that they want to get help, it can be difficult to know how to proceed. When staging an addiction intervention, you want to be sure that you are not alienating your loved one, but instead are encouraging them to seek the help that they need. Learn more about how to stage an addiction intervention and find a 12-step program near you for your loved one today.
Does Your Loved One Need Addiction Intervention?
Before staging an intervention, it’s important to know whether or not your loved one is in a position where an intervention would help. Maybe you have discussed their behavior and habits with them in the past, and they promised that they would seek our help but haven’t. Or you’re noticing for the first time that they are exhibiting symptoms of addiction. These symptoms might include:
- Mood swings
- Secretive behavior
- Changes in habits
- Spending time with a new social group
- Failing to fulfill responsibilities at work or at home
- Legal or financial troubles
Because addiction causes changes in the brain, it can be difficult for an individual to recognize that they have a problem. This is why an intervention is sometimes necessary. In an intervention, your loved one will be faced with undeniable evidence that they need to change. Hearing from their friends and family about the consequences of their behavior confronts them with the fact that they cannot continue on the path that they are on. Even though addiction is a chronic disease and willpower alone is not enough to overcome it, your loved one can choose to seek out help.
Addiction Intervention: How to Help Your Loved One
If you think that you need to stage an addiction for your loved one, there are a few steps to take. First, determine whether or not they are in need of an intervention. Discuss your concerns with their friends and family and find out how their substance abuse issues have impacted their other relationships. Next, determine which people should be in the room during the intervention. The people present during an intervention should genuinely care for and want to help your loved one.
Be sure to practice what you will say to your loved one. While you want to show them that their behavior has hurt those around them, you don’t want them to feel unloved. During an intervention, try not to become overly emotional or dramatic, and avoid including people who might try to argue with your loved one. Ultimately, the intervention is about getting help for your loved one, not about getting even with them for the pain they have caused. Once they are in treatment, you can work on rebuilding relationships and trust.
Finally, try to avoid confronting them when they are under the influence, as this might make them react negatively or even not remember what happened during the intervention. Make sure to have a plan in place for how they can get help after the intervention is over.
Contact Soledad House to Get Help for a Loved One Today
Once you’ve successfully staged an intervention, reach out to an addiction treatment center near you to help your loved one begin treatment. At Soledad House, we provide addiction treatment services for women in San Diego. In our treatment programs, clients participate in both group and individual therapy to help them develop healthy coping skills and learn to live without drugs and alcohol. Learn more about our programs and how to refer a loved one to Soledad House by contacting our team at 866.314.3222 today.
