If someone you love has been dealing with an alcohol problem and all other efforts have failed to get them into treatment, then an alcohol intervention may be in order. Most people have no idea what an intervention is about, nor do they have the skills or knowledge to do it without professional help. An intervention has to be performed under strict and regimented guidelines and if it is not properly facilitated, the desired outcome may not be achieved. When thinking of hosting an intervention, it is best to contact an expert in the field and find out about everything involved.
The nightmare world of alcoholism is a grueling reality which millions of people will have to contend with. People use alcohol because it allows them to relax and lowers inhibitions and produces feelings of euphoria. However, when use of alcohol takes the place of normal coping abilities and is abused in excessive levels, it is time to do something. Friends and family members could wonder how to help and not know what to do to get the person to stop drinking, but all efforts will likely fail because the individual is living in denial. When all options have been considered and been unsuccessful, it may be time to consider an alcohol intervention.
An alcohol intervention is a process by which a group of people that love the alcoholic will confront the person in an attempt to change the situation. The main mission of an intervention is to confront the individual in a safe and controlled environment and in a nonjudgmental manner. When a person is confronted during an intervention, he or she is shown through a variety of means how the alcoholism has hurt others. The intervention will be hosted under the supervision of a licensed, professional interventionist and the group will be shown how to prepare and told what to expect from the outcome.
An alcohol intervention is facilitated in a loving, supportive manner and the group of people will speak to the alcoholic about the negative behavior and provide facts about just how the situation has hurt them. The mission of an intervention is to make an alcoholic aware that their actions and choices have hurt others and to get them to listen and agree to seek professional help. When done correctly, an intervention is done a form of wake up call for an alcoholic and will be particularly useful to those refusing to see the truth and get help.
People used to believe in the past that alcoholism would only stop when a person hit rock bottom, now experts have proven this is not always true. Often people are hesitant about receiving help, but when the situation is handled during an alcohol intervention, a person is told if they continue refusing to seek treatment there will be serious consequences. While an intervention is generally considered a confrontation, it is never performed to make an individual feel ashamed or guilty, or coercing or tricking them into getting treatment.
The first part of an alcohol intervention is arranging the group of people together and to hold a preliminary or “test” intervention, in order to prepare for the actual one. The group will be comprised of people that care about the alcoholic and these individuals are going to show an alcoholic how their drinking has hurt them. Each person will have unique experiences to share with the group and will verbally tell the alcoholic what will happen if they do not seek treatment. An intervention generally is facilitated with a small group of 3-7 people, and young children are never involved because it would be very traumatic and could take focus away from the intent of the meeting.
Before considering whether or not to perform an alcohol intervention, the group should consult with a therapist and counselor to gain perspective of the situation. Having guidance and supervision are very important aspects of an intervention and having a plan of action in place means things will stay focused on the important issues. The last thing an intervention is designed to do is make the individual feel singled out or stigmatized, because it is not productive. The goal of an intervention is to approach an alcoholic within a safe environment and provide the care and compassion needed to ensure the individual clearly understands the impact of their disease.
It is highly important for those involved in an intervention to rehearse the events beforehand, in order to prepare for the event. Trying to perform an alcohol intervention without the benefit of a professional interventionist is never a good idea, because it could result in failure. With the assistance of an interventionist, the focus remains on the important issues and it helps increase the chances a person will accept into treatment. If a group is not guided by an interventionist, the volatile mixture of emotions and feelings can quickly overcome the situation and dissolve into negativity.
When a family is considering an alcohol intervention, the interventionist will have the group compose a list of probable and possible losses which will result if the person refuses treatment. Within an intervention, the alcoholic is made aware of everything that has happened as a result of the drinking. The things which can be lost due to drinking can include job, home, relationships, possessions and eventually freedom and life. Staging an intervention is not about ambushing or tricking an alcoholic, but it is about helping the person see the full reality of the situation and hopefully accepting the need for help.
When a family wants to perform an alcohol intervention, it is done to help the alcoholic stop engaging in excessive drinking and get treatment. To reach someone addicted to alcohol, it usually takes some type of serious situation happening to serve as a wakeup call for the person. When an individual has been dealing with alcoholism, holding an intervention can make a very real difference in the life of an alcoholic. While under the influence of alcohol, a person will say and do things which will be out of character, which is why it can be very common for the individual to live in denial.
An alcohol intervention is one of the very few things which can make a difference when someone you love is addicted to alcohol. Through having the support and love of family and friends and the guidance and skill of a professional interventionist, an alcoholic can be helped to see the full extent of the problem and find the strength needed to accept treatment. If an alcoholic refuses to seek professional treatment, there will be serious consequences such as isolation and being cut off from loved ones. When a person is addicted to alcohol, something must be done to end the problem and it is the goal of an intervention to help an individual finally break away from the chains of chemical dependency.
Hosting an alcohol intervention can either be direct which means having a physical meeting with the alcohol and is the most typical form. Another type of intervention is indirect, which means the assistance of an interventionist is employed and this individual works with the family, in order to benefit the addicted person. While interventions were first done more than 40 years ago, these events are now one of the most innovative and positive ways in which a group of people can come together to help a loved one realize the truth and get into a much needed alcohol rehab program.
The main goal of an alcohol intervention is to help let the person know, that while others genuinely care about the situation, they are no longer going to enable, ignore or allow such behavior anymore. Sometimes an interventionist will have the group write letters in order to describe the various ways in which the alcoholism has affected their life and what the consequences will be if the person refuses to get help. If the intervention is successful, a person will admit the problem and agree to get help and from that point is transported to a treatment program in the company of the interventionist to the detox or rehabilitation center.
An alcoholism intervention is one of the most proactive ways in which an alcoholic can be confronted about the negativity and horrors of alcoholism in a safe, controlled, loving manner. If family and friends try to confront the addict without help from a professional interventionist, most often it results in a breakdown of communication and ends up failing. It is the intent of an intervention to show the alcoholic everything that stands to be lost when he or she refuses to stop denying the situation and agrees to get professional help.
While an alcoholic may initially feel hesitant or overwhelmed by being confronted during an alcohol intervention, it is normal. Because alcoholism brings so much pain, turmoil and negativity into the life of an alcoholic, as well as others that care, it can be nearly impossible for an individual to realize the need for treatment is the most important decision to make in the situation. When a group of friends and family members decide to use an intervention in order to reach out to the one they love, there is a chance it will be successful and the alcoholic will agree to go into treatment and start the process of healing and recovery.
When dealing with a friend or family member that has a chronic alcohol problem, the best option for some individuals is staging an alcohol intervention. While an intervention is not a cure for alcoholism, it is an event designed to help a person get into treatment in order to become sober and have the chance to regain a normal, healthy way of life again. With the right help and an alcohol or drug intervention, there is a reason for a person to hope and reach for a better future.
