Coping with a loved one who is addicted to drugs is very difficult. We do all we can to help loved ones succeed and watching them struggle or fail is almost unbearable. Families dealing with addiction have an especially tough time living life. Watching a loved one slowly kill themselves day in and day out is atrocious. The emotional strain that families feel is endless. Most family members cannot begin to imagine or understand substance abuse because they never experienced it. When families reach a crisis or stopping point an intervention is a great tool used to confront the issue. There are several different types of interventions, but most people are fairly familiar with the surprise styled intervention. If the addict shows up the intervention many family members will be upset or even enraged at the disrespect that the individual has shown.
Close Friends, Family, and Coworkers
The most important part of an intervention is the people that are part of it. Studies state that there should be at least three, but no more than ten people at an intervention. The people that are invited to an intervention should speak to the consequences they have been a part of or witnessed as a result of the addictive behavior. Not everyone has to speak, but it is important for the addict to hear concrete, personal situations that their addiction has affected negatively. Involving children in the intervention can also be beneficial, since they are definitely affected by the addiction. It is important to make sure that everyone present should be emotionally mature enough to be a part of the intervention. If the maturity of the person is in question, then they can write a letter or dictate one; otherwise they should not be part of the intervention. All members of the intervention must therefore be on the same page. Anyone who is a part of the negative behavior or an enabler or has ulterior motives should not be included.
If a Loved One Shows up to an Intervention High
It is important to understand why the family is hosting the intervention. They want to get the individual the help they need to overcome their addiction. If the addict shows up high, then they must act accordingly. Any lecture or advice will fall on deaf ears or will not be remembered. The safety of the family and then the addict is important to remember. Drug addicts high on drugs are capable of many things. Make sure that anyone that could be injured by a hostile addict is not present. Next, make sure the addict is not capable of injuring themselves. Find them a place to relax and sleep. It can be beneficial to offer them food and water to help the process of sobering-up along. Calling proper authorities can help the individual if you are worried about overdose or opioid abuse. Opiate reversal drugs are available to families in various states and most first responders carry that drug. Once they are no longer high the family can successfully hold the intervention.
Prepare in Advance
Rehearsing the intervention is an important part of conducting the intervention. It helps the participants feel comfortable and prepared for the real meeting. It gives these individuals a chance to discuss their comments, concerns, and questions; the feedback can be invaluable. Practice helps to weed out any comments, questions, or people that will not be helpful in the process. When meeting before it is beneficial to designate a group leader. The group leader will keep everyone on track and the intervention in order. By having everything written down the group can stay on task with presenting the problems with a supportive concern.
Plan the Time
It is important that the place and time are agreed upon in advance. Any distractions can cause the intervention to crumble. Therefore, everyone involved should have placed aside one to two hours of time for the intervention. All cell phones and other devises should be away and off to prevent unnecessary distractions. This can help to reduce the chance of the addict showing up high.
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