Staging an Alcohol Intervention
Determining when and if to stage an alcohol intervention for a loved one can be a difficult decision. Many people wonder if a person’s drinking has become an addiction. Staging an intervention is best done by those that love and support an individual. It is usually best to consult a professional to assist before actually confronting a person. Remember, most people are unable to recognize that their reliance on alcohol has affected their job, family and other aspects of their life.
The goal of the intervention should always be for an individual with alcohol dependence or addiction to seek professional help. Interventions should be conducted by family and friends that want to see the individual succeed and start a process of recovery. It should not be a time to aggressively confront unrelated problems but rather to address how their alcohol addiction has affected your relationship.
Presenting a Solution
Intervention is the beginning to recovery. It is a step in the solution to the problem. A person suffering from drug or alcohol dependence should be presented with options for recovery and consequences for not following through on those options. Treatment is usually the desired outcome of an intervention. You should have a clear treatment plan prepared first. A treatment plan is best developed by a team of professionals including a therapist or doctor. They may want to be present during the intervention to help mitigate confrontation, anger or a refusal to address the situation.
Avoid Straight Negativity
At the end of the day, the focus should be about your love and support for the individual. The point of an intervention is to get the individual help, not hurt them through negative comments, anger or resentment. Make sure that all intervention participants are educated about addiction prior to the meeting. Speak with firmness but also compassion. Focus on getting them the help they need to return to the person that you love.