Effective Substance Abuse Intervention

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Getting the Most out of an Intervention

Intervention participants do best when a professional interventionist spearheads the ‘when and where’ of the operation and is assisted by family, friends, lovers, and employers who care most about the addict.  Those who are personally involved with the addict can easily become flustered and emotional, allowing frustration, anger, and hurt to outweigh their love and concern. Professionals are also experienced in dealing with the unexpected, especially in cases where the person is known to have a history of serious emotional, mental problems, suicidal or combative tendencies. An objective facilitator increases the odds the intervention will be constructive and that the addict will choose to enter treatment. Objective facilitators also help keep the addict’s friends and family focused on the primary purpose for the meeting, thereby keeping communication more open and objective - more non-judgmental and constructive. Addicts who are made aware of their problem in a non-judgmental way with those they love and trust are more likely to listen and to pursue some kind of detoxification and rehabilitation.

Selecting a Qualified Intervention Facilitator

If you are looking for a professional to lead an intervention, you should confirm that the professional has adequate training and ample experience actually doing interventions (rather than book training only). Ask about fees and costs upfront and familiarize with the prospective facilitator's approach or model for the intervention to ensure that you are comfortable with that model. Ask about their qualifications - both personal and professional. Some of the best professionals have personal experience with addiction. References are great. Another consideration is whether or not the person meets your regions local requirements as an interventionist and whether or not he/she has ever worked in clinical settings or is affiliated with any related professional organizations. One reputable US organization that provides drug intervention certification is ICDP or the International Center for Drug Policy. A couple of others include EAPA (Elder Abuse Prevention Association) and NAADAC (The Association for Addiction Professionals).

Having a qualified and experienced professional helps establish that participants know their role, have the same information and are ‘on the same page.’ A good facilitator will schedule a few meetings and rehearsals to prepare and to practice for the actual intervention, ensuring a smooth and non-judgmental intervention. A seasoned professional will let everyone know to expect and prepare for an addict resisting the intervention - possibly even verbally attacking those trying to help him. The facilitator will provide ideas about how participants might prepare themselves mentally, both for the possibility that the addict will accept the intervention and may altogether reject the intervention.

What To Expect

An intervention is not easy, which is why it is essential that those who will attend are prepared before the event. Emotions will likely run high and it may be difficult to say what you want to say to the addict. The mediator will be able to help you stay on track should you lose focus while you're talking.  Sharing feelings in a safe place can be a very cathartic process for everyone involved. Individuals involved swear to no longer enable the addict and they confront the addict with specifics about how they have witnessed substance abuse and self-destructive behavior.

 

 

 

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