Substance abuse within the family is never an easy thing to deal with. In fact, it is quite difficult and imposing to say the least. Lots of trouble and horrendous issues can come about as a result of addiction, and the problem can be exacerbated and can make the lives of those connected to the addict much, much worse.
When it comes to confronting an addict and trying to get him or her to go to rehab, it is often quite beneficial to employ the help of an addiction mediator. In mediation, the moderator is an impartial person that does not have the authority to impose a solution of any kind at all. The moderator is not an interventionist; rather the moderator is simply a neutralizing and calming force and presence that is there to prevent the addict from fighting with the family members and vice versa.
The moderator’s job is quite simple but not exactly easy. This person works very hard and very diligently to ensure that both parties speak to one another and are friendly and pleasant with each other, airing their grievances as their proposed solutions in a humane, grown up, mature way, and that the two sides also work very hard to come together to find one answer at the very least that they both can live with and that they can both be happy with and that is effective.
The Details of Mediation
Mediation for addiction is a fairly new thing, but every single addiction crisis does not always require an interventionist, so something else had to be come up with. In fact, the mediation process was once only considered something that could be applied to legal issues. That has changed though. Now, experts suggest that mediation might be helpful in any time when two parties can’t see eye to eye on a topic, and this has led to a hybrid version of mediation that is more informal and more casual. One professional had this to say on the matter:
“According to an article in the Ohio State Journal on Dispute Resolution, addiction cases are appropriate for mediation, as they allow the person to obtain help for the problem, rather than being punished for a condition the person can’t control. As this opinion becomes more widespread, people who are arrested for addiction might be provided with mediation rather than jail time. But even families who don’t have interactions with the legal system could benefit from mediation. We should pursue this system, as it could be highly rewarding in the future.”
Mediation really does hit the nail on the head for many situations and in many different arenas. The way it breaks down is that families who basically want the person that they love to enter into a treatment program but who can’t understand why the person won’t get help or who can’t convince the person to get help benefit a lot from a skilled mediation process. In mediation, the entire group can just sit down and calmly discuss the issue and what could be done about it for the betterment of everyone involved.
The Key Skill of a Mediator
The mediator can basically keep the two sides from fighting and arguing too much. This is what it comes down to, but that skill is literally invaluable and is often completely needed and wanted. With the help of a mediator, the whole group can come up with a mutually agreed upon solution that can effect positive treatment and a beneficial result for those involved.
There are loads of different reasons why addicts do not go to treatment or do not want to go. Perhaps the person didn’t go to a program because inpatient programs seemed too distressing to him or her. Perhaps he or she won’t enter into a program because he/she is afraid that the family will limit his/her access to his or her children. However, with the help of a skilled mediator, these issues can come to the forefront and be talked about and resolved effectively.
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