Many individuals who have no personal experience with substance abuse or addiction may naively believe that substance abuse is a choice, and that the individual who continues to abuse drugs while their life and health unravels around them must be choosing to do so. This misconception stems from the fact that few people, including drug addicts, truly understand the full causes, phases and effects of substance abuse and addiction. The truth is that while it may not always appear to be the case, many substance abusers are desperate for a way out of their problems with drugs.
Addiction & Substance Abuse – The Need for Interventions
Initial substance use normally occurs when an individual has been confronted by some life problem that they are unwilling or unable to address and resolve. Rather than persist in finding a way to resolve the problem, they turn to drugs in order to numb the unwanted sensations and heighten pleasurable ones. As most people know, the desirable effects of drug use are temporary and often short-lived, and are usually followed by undesirable side-effects. In addition to these new problems, the original problem for which drugs were taken still remains. The easiest solution the individual can see is to take more drugs, which can exacerbate existing problems and create new ones. Some of the key indications of substance abuse include:
- Sudden and significant weight loss or gain
- Poor personal hygiene
- Constant fighting with family members and friends, often without obvious cause
- Inability to keep promises
- Seclusion from family functions and social gatherings
- Dishonesty regarding their whereabouts
- Petty crimes, including theft – even from family members and friends
- Vehement denials of drug and alcohol use
Over time, the body builds up a tolerance of and dependence upon drug chemicals. At some point along this line, substance abuse becomes addiction, and the individual no longer has control over whether they use drugs, they feel that they must use drugs. Painful withdrawal symptoms can punish the individual if they allow the volume of drug chemicals in their body to drop below a certain level. Essentially, physical cravings and dependence have shoved the individual from the driver’s seat into the passenger seat, and as much as they would love to stop the car and get out, they just can’t seem to do it on their own. In some cases, a substance abuser is not knowingly denying their problems with substance abuse, but is truly unaware of all the damaging effects that have resulted from their drug use.
It is not unusual for a substance abuser to blame someone or something else for the problems in their life. Even family members and friends have occasionally been convinced that there is some other cause than drugs. This is where intervention services come in.
Drug Intervention
It can be disheartening to try and reach out to a substance-abusing loved one, only to have them turn away or deny their addiction. The mechanism of denial or refusal of help can make some feel that there is no hope for their loved one. Luckily, this is usually not the case. Shame, guilt, or their own crushing hopelessness for a drug-free future can make the substance abuser unwilling to listen to or receive help from their loved ones. However, a professional drug interventionist possesses the knowledge, the experience and the tools necessary to successfully help a substance abuser realize that help is available and they can reach out for it.
What We Offer
Our site offers effective intervention services for drug or alcohol addiction(s). “Intervention” is commonly confused with “confrontational meeting”. In actual fact, meeting with the substance abuser, getting them to admit they have a problem and that they need help in addressing and resolving the problem is only the very beginning of a drug intervention program. The following are some of the most important components to a successful drug intervention program:
- An intervention meetingAn intervention meeting is best overseen by a professional drug interventionist. Family members and friends are often also in attendance, but the intention of the meeting should not be to confront or shame the substance abuser in an angry or aggressive way. The plain truth is that family members and friends are usually very emotional about the situation, and that is why a professional drug interventionist is so vital. The professional drug interventionist can meet with family members and friends prior to the actual intervention meeting, preparing a plan and even coaching the family members and friends on their communications and responses to the substance abuser. The professional drug interventionist can also work to keep the meeting calm and on track, and may even be able to get more information or agreement out of the substance abuser than his family and friends can. This last point is very important, since the remainder of the intervention program depends upon the substance abuser’s complete honesty regarding the full extent of their drug problem.
- Rehabilitation treatmentDrug abuse and addiction affect the individual’s mental, emotional and physical health. Rehabilitation treatment is designed to help the individual restore a healthy, productive life by eliminating drugs from their life and body. There are a variety of rehabilitation treatment programs and facilities available, each designed to address specific needs.
- Drug educationUnderstanding drugs, their effects on the body and how to resolve them is an important part of a drug intervention program. Many individuals, even after suffering from substance abuse themselves, don’t understand the truth about drugs and how they interact with and affect the body. Not only can drug education cause the individual to change their mind about whether drugs are an effective solution to life problems, it can help the individual discover for himself why he turned to drug use in the first place.
- Life skillsIt could be argued that individuals who know how to confront and resolve the various problems, difficulties and challenges that arise in life are likely never to use or abuse drugs. In order to better prepare the individual for a drug-free future, a drug intervention program should include courses in basic life skills. Some of these skills may include recognizing the “triggers” in their life that led them to past drug use, and how to deal with these situations without drugs.
- AftercareIdeally, every individual who participated in a drug intervention program would graduate into a perfectly drug-free future. Unfortunately, drug intervention programs cannot possibly anticipate every future difficulty or challenge the individual may encounter. Aftercare programs allow the individual to maintain a line to the support and encouragement they may need when unexpected life difficulties arise.
The Goal of Intervention is Recovery
There are many different types of drug intervention, designed to address a variety of substance abusing situations. For example, an individual who is binge drinking may benefit from a drug intervention program that includes outpatient rehabilitation treatment and group counseling. An individual who has been addicted to heroin and cocaine for over a decade may do better in a residential rehabilitation treatment facility that includes a detoxification program and extensive life skills courses. No matter the individual’s personal needs and concerns, there is a drug intervention program that can work well for them. A professional drug interventionist can help design the drug intervention program that address the many needs and concerns of each individual, thereby markedly increasing their chances of a successful recovery from substance abuse and addiction.