To Intervene or Not to Intervene?

 When you picture an addiction intervention, you may imagine a showdown between angry family members and a shocked and humiliated addict that ends with the addict storming out of the room, back into the arms of their addiction. While television shows like A&E’s “Intervention” and “Celebrity Rehab” may present some interventions in this dramatic way, very few real-life interventions actually unfold in this fashion. 

The Benefits of Addiction Interventions

When planned and carried out properly, interventions have proven extremely successful in getting an addict into treatment. Some methods are successful up to 90 percent of the time.

There are many reasons that interventions have high success rates:

• Addiction interventions are a healthy, organized way for family, friends and co-workers to express emotions that have been repressed for many months or years.
• The addict hears how their behaviors have impacted the people they care about most.
• Participants learn to set boundaries and let the addict experience the full consequences of their choices.
• A professional interventionist can help family members get the help they need to overcome their own denial and unhealthy roles.
• Addiction interventions greatly increase the chances that an addict will get the help they need.

Are There Risks?

The biggest risk of staging an addiction intervention is that the addict refuses to accept help. Some addicts are not ready to face their problem, or they may agree to enter treatment at first but then quickly leave because of drug cravings, painful emotions, or undiagnosed and untreated mental health issues.

Although the addict may refuse treatment, there is a good chance they’ll be willing to get help when confronted again. Because the intervention created an opportunity for family and friends to set boundaries and consequences, it accomplishes a number of important goals even if the addict isn’t ready for help yet.