How to conduct a safe intervention
It’s not easy having to watch a loved one struggle with addiction. You may have even considered staging an intervention. The goal of an intervention is to help the person struggling with addiction realize they have a problem. But how do you ensure that it is actually impactful? Honestly speaking, there are really no guarantees. In fact, you may feel you’re at a loss as to how to provide your loved ones with the encouragement and incentive they need to overcome their addiction. Generally speaking, it won’t be an easy road for both you and the person suffering from addiction. But all is not lost. Here are a few tips on how to conduct a safe intervention.
Assemble the right team
An intervention typically involves family, friends, and sometimes the addict’s co-workers. However, not everyone may be suited to attend the intervention, regardless of their relation to the person in question. For one, your team should only consist of people who have a positive relationship with the addict. Your intervention team should include people who genuinely care about your loved one’s well-being and are capable of upholding healthy boundaries if the person refuses to seek help. If you are in doubt, you can seek out an intervention specialist at a suboxone treatment center to help you assemble the right team.
Timing is everything
Your timing can determine how willing your loved one is to listen to you. It’s best to speak to your loved ones while they are sober. As you probably know, drugs impair a person’s judgment. If you were to talk to them while they are drunk or high, chances are you may elicit a negative response from them. Talking to them at an appropriate time can allow you to connect with them on a deeper level.
Select a location
Your first instinct may be to hold the intervention at home. It’s not the worst place to do it. But it may result in some unwarranted reaction, like, let’s say, your loved one retreating to the bedroom to avoid the conversation. Ideally, you should have the intervention on neutral grounds. One place you can consider is a psychiatrist or interventionist’s office. Such a location will not only make it harder for the addict to walk away, but you can also benefit from the guidance of a third party.
Rehearse
Emotions can run high while conducting an intervention. Rehearsing can help members of the intervention team master what they plan to say and how they are going to say it. This is also a great time to discuss the addict’s potential reaction and how to respond. A little practice never hurt anyone.
Create a backup plan
As implied earlier, an intervention does not always work out as planned, hence the need for a backup plan. A person who is addicted to drugs will react in unexpected ways when confronted with their loved ones. They might leave the room, weep, say hurtful stuff, or throw a tantrum. A contingency plan considers such situations.
Your loved one might not react the way you hoped. They might even give you the cold shoulder. But even in this case, the one thing that matters most is at least your loved one is aware of your feelings, and everything is out in the open for discussion. Most importantly, you should follow through with the promise of support you may have afforded them during the intervention session, no matter how hard it feels.
