We all know what an intervention is. In some cases, you may have been involved in one. For others, you may be considering one for a loved one in a bid to tackle their addiction and show the support to get them back on track.
More and more people are suffering from addiction around the country. Around 300,000 people were seeking drug and alcohol services in the UK last year, many of which will have started by loved ones intervening.
Which is against the grain that many people don’t believe they work. While they may not in the short term, it may take a little time for the effects to truly show. So, if your loved one is struggling with alcohol or drug addiction. Here are five reasons why you should consider an intervention…
It’s a more structured approach for addressing concerns
By staging an addiction intervention you’re giving yourself a structured framework for which you can discuss a loved one’s addiction and their behaviour.
You can involve family members, friends and professionals to ensure the process is well-organised and guided by expertise, making it much more likely to be effective.
It’s a way in which you can fully aid them in every aspect, alleviating any anxieties or uncertainty that they may have.
You’ll emphasise the severity of their situation
An intervention is quite a bold statement to make and it can really emphasise the extremity of the situation and the impact their addiction is not only having on themselves, but others too.
As part of the intervention, it provides the opportunity to share personal experiences on how the addiction has affected them and provide factual information around their actions as a result of addiction. It can really help break the barriers of denial and hit home that they do have a problem and it is affecting many people.
It’s a show of support
Ultimately, and perhaps most importantly, an intervention is a show of support. It’s a statement that they aren’t alone and they have people around them that love them and want to help.
It’s the first support network they will have on their journey and provides a platform to make positive changes in their life. This reassurement can provide hope, motivation and the confidence to tackle their addiction.
It’ll encourage accountability
Often we enable the behaviour of our addicted loved ones, making excuses or covering up for them. However, an intervention is a process that holds individuals accountable for their actions. It can be incredibly powerful too as they are hearing about their actions directly from the people that have been affected by them.
By holding them accountable it can be a powerful catalyst for taking responsibility and really motivate them to take the steps required to get addiction treatment and live a sober lifestyle.
It’ll provide access to professional help
Finally, it can provide a much clearer and more accessible pathway to professional help compared to seeking it out themselves.
It’s the perfect gateway, with loved ones staging the intervention often providing a number of options for treatment, as well as direct access to a professional who they may have been engaging with.
An intervention essentially bridges the gap between acknowledging the problem and taking action. It may not initially be a success, but there will be a realisation and the person who is addicted can go back to what they learned about themselves during the intervention and take the steps they need to in order to get their life back on track.
Of course, there are many other reasons why staging an intervention can provide success, so approach it with care, understanding and compassion to help get your loved one’s life back in a more positive place.
