What Happens In an Intervention

A few years ago, A&E produced a show called Intervention that followed families affected by substance abuse. It showed the preparation and led up to where the addicted person faced a surprise intervention with the goal of getting them to agree to help for their substance abuse. Followup by the show regarding the outcomes of the intervention was minimal (the road to recovery is hard and can be long) but the show was a spotlight on the importance of interventions for getting loved ones in rehabilitation. The act of family and friends coming together to prepare for an emotionally-charged confrontation such as a drug or alcohol intervention is not something that can be approached lightly or without a firm commitment to seeking help - if not for the addicted then for the family and friends affected by the actions of their addicted family member.

Why Interventions Can Help

Interventions can be held without the benefit of a professional counsellor however, the success of an intervention (that is, getting the target person into immediate and structured help) is far greater due to the third party neutrality offered by the interventionist. Neutrality helps to limit circular arguments and manage the already high emotional energy that comes with an intervention.

Interventions work because, in a controlled environment, the addict is presented with the profound effects their substance abuse has on everyone important to them. The trained intervention specialist can help calm defensive reactions from everyone due to the extreme emotions that can - and will - come into play during an intervention while also facilitating the conversation that is paramount to expressing the pain and consequences of the substance use. 

Professional interventionists will also help maintain focus during the intervention as substance users may become defensive, minimize their substance use and behaviour, or present reasons for their use which can include using guilt on participants in the intervention. The interventionist will help to overcome these obstacles of denial while also providing strength to family and friends when it comes to being firm in their ultimatums presented to their loved one for getting help.

The Steps of an Intervention

1. Contact a Specialist

The first step is to find an accredited specialist who has experience and knowledge of interventions. A trained specialist can not only provide the family with resources to help before, during, and after an intervention but will also have the experience to help breakthrough to an addicted love on their substance use and the consequences of it.

1. Gather Friends and Family

Once you’ve selected your interventionist, the next step is to gather the friends and family members who will be part of the intervention. Participants can include parents, siblings, close friends, older children, and where appropriate, work colleagues.

1. Create a Plan

An intervention is not just emotional but can get aggressive or combative. An interventionist can help prepare participants and facilitate communication through the intervention “team” on how the intervention will proceed.

1. Gather Information

Knowledge is power. All participants need to share their stories or any information they have on the intervention target. Once all the information is shared, the next steps and arrangements for treatment can be agreed upon. This includes preparing rebuttals when the substance abuser will argue with reasons why they can’t go into immediate treatment (who will take care of pets, who will watch children, who will get the mail, etc) through to where the treatment will occur if the individual agrees to enter treatment.

1. Create Boundaries

This is one of the most important, but also the most difficult, steps for family and friends. 

This is where boundaries are set and must be kept. Addicts have functioned with limited ramifications prior to the intervention due to boundaries not being defended in the past.  

Boundaries and the consequences of overstepping them must be specific and decided on prior to the intervention. Everyone must be prepared to defend them if the target individual does not agree to treatment. 

1. Rehearse

Rehearsing allows everyone to practice not only what they’re going to say but to also come to terms with what they are promising in regards to their boundaries. Rehearsing helps mitigate the emotional stress that will help because there is a set plan in place that has been tested before the actual intervention commences.

1. Be Committed and Follow Through

Once the ultimatums have been presented to the abuser, participants must remain committed to their boundaries and consequences they have issued. Falling back into old habits not only eliminates the power of the intervention, but it also proves to the abuser that their substance abuse isn’t “that bad”. Boundaries are set to be healthy. It is not “mean” or “cruel” to have boundaries in place that will help everyone involved get help and be healthy.

Coming to Terms with Giving an Ultimatum

Reaching the point of an intervention comes from a place of fear and desperation. Many relationships have been torn apart from substance use and everyone in the users’ circle of trust eventually reaches the point where they can no longer accept or deal with the pressures, stress, fear, and manipulation that seems to come with substance abuse. One of the most difficult emotions family and friends must deal with is guilt. Deciding on individual ultimatums that will be presented - and followed through with - during the intervention can sometimes create a false sense of hope that the situation isn’t “really that bad” when there’s the risk that someone will have to be cut out of a life.

However, there are two important reasons for establishing and defending boundaries presented during an intervention:

1. It helps protect the person setting the boundaries. During the relationship while substance abuse has been present, many lines may have been crossed that have caused pain, loss of trust, and resentment. By firmly stating in a controlled situation designed to draw on the strength of the affected group, boundaries that are declared may be easier to defend for the health and safety of those setting them.

1. It drives the individual suffering with substance abuse towards getting help by having their safety net removed and forcing them to accept responsibility. It clearly informs them that their behaviours and actions will no longer be tolerated or condoned. 

After the Intervention

There are only two possible outcomes of an intervention: the individual refuses to seek treatment or they accept that they need help and are open to immediately going to a treatment centre.

Refusal

If the individual refuses treatment, the next steps are painful but straightforward - the ultimatums given by all participants must be adhered to without exception. The abuser has a history of their actions being accepted or “dealt with” by all involved in the intervention. They may be willing to test to see if they will be held accountable by what was promised in the intervention. It is important for everyone to keep their intervention promises with the hope that it will eventually lead their loved one to treatment when all safety nets have been removed for them to continue with their destructive behaviour.

Acceptance

This is the ultimate goal of the intervention. Ideally, the individual will agree to seek help. If they agree, they will immediately leave the intervention for the designated treatment centre accompanied by the interventionist. Prior to the intervention, a treatment centre will be secured to ensure a timely and seamless entry into rehabilitation.

If you’re unsure about whether an intervention is needed, it is important to know that no one has to “hit rock bottom” to get help. For the family looking to help a loved one, intervention services may be the single important step in breaking through and getting help and preventing overdose death. 

If you know someone at risk of an overdose, call us for support at 1-855-939-1009 or email us at [email protected]