A structured program, or a stay at a treatment facility or hospital, may be needed for more-serious issues. No matter the outcome of the intervention, it’s important to be patient and stick with your plans to render consequences. This may help the person with the addiction realize the impact their drinking has on friends and loved ones, and may encourage them to eventually seek treatment. When treatment is refused, it can be a challenging scenario for the intervention team. Setting boundaries with a loved one who refuses treatment, including the possibility of ceasing contact or withdrawing financial support, is crucial to protect the mental and emotional health of the intervention team.
Intervention for Alcoholics: The Step That Stirs Hope
- You may not know what to do when your friend or family member drinks too much.
- The detox process is the first stage of treatment for any addiction.
- If you’re ready to stage an alcohol intervention for your loved one, help is available.
- The concern at hand is both sensitive and incredibly important — the health and well-being of your loved one.
It can help to learn more about common negative responses, like denial and defensiveness. Harvard Health Publishing shares a guide about dealing with denial in yourself and others. VeryWell Mind offers a similarly useful guide about the concept of defensiveness. You can also think about your loved one and how you know they’ve responded to conflict in the past. It’s not a perfect solution, but it can help you avoid knee-jerk reactions and stay focused on the goal of the intervention. If you think it’s important to have someone involved but worry that it may create an issue during the intervention, consider having that person write a short letter.
How to Stage an Alcohol Intervention
Many healthcare professionals may not feel confident, however, in their ability to intervene effectively with patients who drink too much. Here, we provide background on alcohol brief intervention and a 7-step model for patient care. To help with follow-up, we provide links to other Core articles, resources, and an interactive, simplified sample workflow. Have a plan in place as soon as your loved one is willing to get help. Include a few options, depending on the level of care that they need.
Alcohol Support Groups
But some intervention specialists advise against this, particularly for younger children. The participation of family members is particularly important for those recovering from alcohol use disorder in a residential treatment center. The more how to do an intervention for an alcoholic involved the family is, the easier it is for the person to successfully transition back to home life. For instance, a family member’s drug abuse, a traumatic event, or a dysfunctional household dynamic can all lead to alcohol addiction.
This means that family can play just as significant a role in causing and worsening an addiction as they can while they offer support. It’s difficult for someone to talk about their alcohol use disorder, especially since it tends to come with guilt and shame. So, while a brief intervention can be informal, it’s essential that you take time to prepare for the conversation to ensure that you don’t spark feelings of shame or anger.
- Until that person admits the need for help, there is usually little that can be done.
- An alcohol counselor or medical professional will be able to guide you in your preparations before the meeting with your loved one.
- Do not let the addict know what you’re doing the day of the intervention.
Work with an addiction professional
A family member or friend proposes an intervention and forms a planning group. It will help if you consult with a qualified counselor, addiction specialist, psychologist, or interventionist to help you get organized. An intervention is a highly emotional situation with the potential to cause anger, resentment, or a feeling of betrayal.
Is AA a Selfish Program?
After you have chosen your team, meet up and discuss the nature and extent of the problem your loved one has. The days leading up to an intervention can be nerve-wracking and stressful. While organizing the meeting details, make sure everyone is aware of the potential challenges that can stem from the discussion. You may even want to prepare and practice the intervention beforehand to work through any difficult situations.
- Navigating post-early intervention challenges can be a daunting task.
- They may also shut down completely, crying, screaming, or otherwise attempting to zone out the attempt to help them.
- These are things you generally should not do if you find someone who needs help with an alcohol use disorder.
- Today there are more options available for treating alcohol use disorder (AUD) than ever before.
- Treatment options can vary in intensity and scope, and they occur in various settings.
- The participation of friends and colleagues in the intervention underscores the message that the individual’s alcohol abuse has repercussions that extend beyond the immediate family.