Interventions are wonderful tools that families can use to get an addict to confront their addiction, their family and accept professional help. The goal of an intervention is to get an addict to understand the damage they are causing themselves and their families. An addict should be driven to a treatment center at the end of an intervention and the family should express how life will go on from that moment forward. The family must be on the same page and agree to stop any and all enabling behaviors from now on. Addicts must understand there will be consequences for their behavior and they are responsible for what happens to them. An intervention team is the group of people that a family selects to be present during an intervention. For these reasons it is essential to the success of an intervention that the family be willing and able to participate in the intervention. Here are some useful tips to help families choose a great intervention team.
Who to Invite to Participate
Choosing an intervention team requires loved ones to analyze who is there for the best interest of the family and the addict. These individuals must love the addict despite their addiction. It is essential that these people genuinely care for the addict’s well-being. They must want to see him/her better their lives, get healthy, and live up to their true potential. It is also important that those involved are part of the addicts lives. It would be foolish to involve the pizza delivery guy, but important to include lifelong friends. These people must be influential and have witnessed the decrease in the person’s health, work or life. Parents, grandparents, teachers or coaches are all people that can be a positive influence during an intervention. They must also know and understand the decline of the addict. They have seen the bizarre and chaotic behavior and have an understanding of addiction.
Specific Individuals to Consider for the Intervention Team
Of those influential people that should be involved in the intervention the specific individuals include spouses, children, parents, best friend, and close relatives.
Spouse and Children
The spouse or partner should be at the top of the list since they are the ones who are most involved in the addict’s life. This could be difficult because the spouse is the one who has dealt with most of the trauma and chaos of the addiction. Nevertheless their presence and compassion is a great tool to have at an intervention. Similar to the importance of the spouse are the children. In many cases, when an addict physically see the damage that they are causing to their children they can begin the healing process. Most addicts do not realize the damage they cause others and the sight of their children in pain can help overcome the grip of addiction. Children should only be present if they can be mature enough to handle the situation and are clear of any physical danger; which is rare, but possible.
Grandparents, Close Relatives and Best Friends
Grandparents are another powerful presence to have in an intervention. In some cases, the addict may look up to their grandparents. That can provide some stability and added support to the situation. Close relatives and best friends are great to include because they provide a comfort and window into the past. These individuals can remind the addict of the good times they had as a child and young adult before substance abuse and addiction. However, no one who has participated in drug or substance use or abuse with the addict should be involved. The addict will use that fact to deflect the goal of the intervention.
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