Do Interventions Really Work?

April 14th, 2021

When you have a loved one, friend or family
member battling addiction it can be tough on everyone. A lot of the time, the
addict won’t even think they need help or maybe they want it but they are too
scared to ask for it. There can be so many reasons why someone battling
addiction won’t get the help they need on their own. This is when loved ones
will often intervene via an intervention.

Often times, those battling addiction don’t
realize how much their addiction is affecting those around them. There can come
a point when those around them say enough is enough and they band together to
try and get the addicted individual to realize it’s time to get some help.

So what exactly is an intervention? An
intervention is a well-organized event designed to break through an addicted
person’s denial so that they can recognize and hopefully make the decision to
change their self-destructive behaviors. Interventions are often depicted in
movies and TV shows, but they aren’t always as dramatic and hostile as they
seem. Interventions should be well-planned to ensure the environment is calm
and controlled

Who should be in attendance at an
intervention? Anyone who is close to the person struggling with addiction and
has been affected by it can be in attendance at an intervention if they are
comfortable with the confrontation aspect. Sometimes it can even be helpful to
have an intervention specialist on site to help guide the conversation or also
a representative from a rehab who will help guide the steps following the
initial intervention .

What actually happens at an intervention? Typically, each member of the
group outlines the ways in which he or she has been harmed or adversely
affected by the addict’s addiction, and pleads with the addict to seek treatment,
and even lists the consequences for not seeking treatment. Once everyone has
had a chance to say their piece, the addict will hopefully have been able to
hear and really understand what they have heard. This ultimate goal is to have
the addict accept that they need help and choose to be admitted into a program.

This
is another part of the process – ensuring you have lined up options for the
addicted individual in hopes that they are ready to accept help. This will
require you to look into options of treatment centers that will accept them and
that they can afford or pay for with insurance. As we mentioned above,
sometimes treatment facilities are even willing to assist in the intervention
process and have a representative come on site to assist in the transition
between intervention to rehab – because typically this process needs to happen
quickly while the addict is still willing to seek help and they don’t have time
to change their mind or make any poor last minute decisions.

Do interventions actually work? Ultimately, there is little data available on the
effectiveness of interventions, likely because effectiveness is somewhat
difficult to define. Addicts are more likely to seek treatment when they
undergo an intervention, but interventions don’t affect the outcome of the
treatment itself. If an addict seeks treatment without being fully committed to
a life of sobriety—as some might do in response to the overwhelming peer
pressure of an intervention—he or she may actually be less likely to get better.

In general,
an intervention is a last-ditch effort for an addict who has consistently
refused treatment or fallen off the sobriety wagon. Consequently, most people
who undergo interventions are already heavily entrenched in their addictions.
But when addicts have strong social support and access to good treatment,
they’re more likely to get better; an intervention can serve as a rallying
point for a family that is dedicated to helping a loved one achieve wellness.

If you are
planning to take on an intervention for a loved one or friend, make sure you
are prepared. That’s the name of the game. Plan to have the right people there.
Ensure the people in attendance are prepared for everything that could take
place and how to best handle any conflict that arises. As mentioned before,
have a plan for if the addicted individual decides to get help – and also have
a plan for if they don’t. It is important to prepare yourself for both
outcomes.

At the end
of the day, addiction is a ruthless disease and it can take sometimes more than
one intervention in order to get the addict the help they need. At Windmill
Wellness Ranch, we are here for you. Reach out to our team today to have us
help guide you through this process and even assist you in ensuring your loved
one gets on the path to recovery.