Intervention Success
by Absolute Adventure Radical Recovery, Inc.
An intervention is a process by which a
professional interventionist works with a family and/or friends to confront the
addicted individual with their behavior, let them know that they will no longer
enable the addiction, and helps them to accept treatment for their addiction.
The best interventions are managed by a licensed or credentialed individual
with a strong background in intervention who understands the powerful
psychological elements of denial by both the addict and those impacted by the
addict’s addiction.
The
most commonly known type of intervention is the Johnson Intervention. Other more successful models include ARISE, Family Systemic, and Lifestyle Change models. The
interventionist must first do his research, interviewing family members or
anyone else who might be close to the addict. The pre-intervention work is
critical because it allows the professional to get a clear picture of the
relationships within the addict’s circle and to prepare for any “surprises”
during the intervention. In fact, quality pre-intervention work makes it much
less likely there will be any surprises during the actual intervention.
Once
a thorough pre-intervention process is completed, the date for the intervention
itself is set. The interventionist guides the process and basically sets the
ground rules. He or she will know if a family member may be vulnerable to
manipulation, and prepares to handle that type of behavior during the
pre-intervention work. Those who have been close to the addict have themselves
been compromised by the addiction: they have adjusted their lives, covered up
the addict’s behavior, and even rescued the addict many times. It is important
that family members come to a consensus and work as a team so that the addict
knows he can no longer divide and conquer. Once the addict realizes that
manipulation will not work, they may panic at first. If the intervention is
done by someone with strong experience who has done thorough pre-intervention
work, in most cases the addict capitulates to the new rules: the family will no
longer support the addiction, and will only support attempts at recovery.
Another
style of intervention is the Invitational Intervention. It’s essentially
exactly what it sounds like – you actually invite the addicted person to meet
with the group. This is not as commonly used because most addicts will want to
avoid the prospect of all their family and friends getting together. This is
because the addict will often compartmentalize. They essentially use each
family member and friend differently, capitalizing on their weaknesses or
picking off those who are more likely to buckle to pleas and fall for promises
of turning over a new leaf. It’s a lot harder to divide and conquer, manipulate
individual family members, and bargain with loved ones when they have shared
information – all the cards are on the table and the addict can no longer play
people off each other by limiting what each family member knows.
Families
are often shocked to discover how little they knew about the addict’s overall
behavior. One family member was continually asked for money, while another let
them crash on their floor. One family member might know about a DUI while
another doesn’t. When the family comes together in the pre-intervention, it is
an eye-opening experience. They often discover the situation is far worse than
they thought.
An
alcohol or drug intervention can be a highly effective way of getting a resistant person to accept
treatment. The interventionist will help the family choose an appropriate drug
rehab for treatment, and if the family chooses, they will proceed with case
management, following the addict’s treatment and making recommendations for aftercare.
The
most typical scenario that indicates a family needs an intervention is if
repeated attempts to convince the addict they need help fail. As the family
grows more frustrated, they will individually try things to get the person to
accept treatment. One might stop giving cash; but if another family member then
starts to give cash, the addict can continue using without interruption. The
intervention stops this cycle by allowing the family to work with a
professional to create a singular approach to addressing the addict’s behavior.
If everyone agrees to a new set of rules, they no longer as individuals
inadvertently support the continued use of drugs.
