|
|
| |
 |
Drug and Alcohol Abuse Intervention
|
|
|
|
The greatest problem with drug or alcohol abusers is that they usually do not know they are out of control. They look around and make comparisons, with other abusers, and argue that they are normal. These people need objective and honest feedback on their behavior. Motivation of a skilled counselor and the support of family and friends can help him realize the situation. The process that helps an abuser recognize the gravity of his problem is called intervention.
Many believe that a drug abuser could only get better if he was self-motivated to change. This is an outdated idea. A skilled professional can motivate an abuser toward recovery at any stage of addiction. In fact, intervention is the best way to provide help to those struggling with addiction. It is a non-judgmental, non-critical, systematic process, which makes an addict come to terms with the impact of his alcoholism or drug use on others.
Getting the addict to seek treatment as early as possible is the main, if not the only, purpose of intervention. But, this can be a challenging situation. You cannot force an abuser, under most circumstances, to undergo treatment. At the same time, you cannot afford things getting worse. Experts suggest many ways to overcome this dilemma, like training ourselves to stop protecting the abuser from the consequences of his behavior and leaving him no choice but to seek treatment.
If intervention is done by someone the addict particularly trusts, it has a greater chance of being successful. This can be a family member, a close friend, or anyone concerned enough to help the addict. A professional counselor with good reputation can play an effective role in intervention. At a meeting in the presence of a counselor, the dear ones can express their concerns about the addict and his/her behavior. They can speak out their decision that they will no longer tolerate the addiction. If they are able to convince the addict, of course with the help of the counselor, and make him seek treatment for his behavior, the intervention can be considered successful.
Conducting a drug intervention is a complicated and delicate matter. Addicts are in a special kind of mental state and trust no one. They believe that the whole world is against them. So, they may feel cornered and become more defensive. This makes the determination of a proper strategy and timing for intervention very important. The presence of a professional counselor can be very helpful here.
History
Vernon Johnson, who published the book 'I'll Quit Tomorrow' in 1973, started experimenting with the technique of intervention as early as 1960's. This technique was and continues to be the standard against which all further developments are compared and measured. Johnson's book includes the fundamental rationale and approach to interventions still used today. There have been many developments in this field over the last few decades. People began to recognize that the intervention technique was applicable to a wide range of situations and issues. The tremendous advancements in the techniques and the growing influence of drugs have substantially increased the acceptance of intervention since Vernon Johnson first articulated his thoughts.
Is intervention necessary?
There are many people who are under the mistaken belief that no intervention can be successful in the long run, because most addicts can't be helped until they are ready to reach out for help on their own. In fact, only a small percentage of substance abusers recover without intervention. For the majority assistance is inevitable. In fact, intervention is an indispensable part of the healing process. Along with the dependence on a substance comes a reluctance to tackle the problem. Addicts often use 'denial' as their defense mechanism. Conceit and ego also play their parts in denying addiction. Breaking this defense is the first step in the process of intervention.
It is imperative that intervention be done safely and with confidentiality. The advice and counsel of an experienced, trained, and certified professional interventionist are essential. The interventionist must be knowledgeable in the right approach or treatment methodology. He needs to work in cooperation with the family of the addict.
The Right Time for Intervention
What is the right time for an intervention? The answer is obvious-as soon as an alcohol or drug addiction problem has been identified. Consultation with a treatment professional or intervention specialist will help you determine whether the addict needs an intervention. Professional intervention is not a choice for everyone and every situation. As most cases do not require a full intervention, this consultation bears great significance.
The process of intervention can be as long as several weeks to as short as one day. If the situation does not demand an immediate action, more planning is always appropriate.
The Role of Family and Friends
The role the family and friends of an addict have to play in intervention is vital. Even when they are tired of trying various attempts to control the behavior of the addict, family members tend to protect him/her from the consequences. Stopping such rescue missions is an important part of intervention. The addict needs to fully experience the harmful effects of addiction.
Making the effort a collective one is also of very importance. Try to find strength in numbers with the help of family and friends and confront the abuser as a group. But, be careful with the words. Assigning one person to talk with the abuser will be much more effective than it would be for everyone to talk at once.
Brief Interventions
The aim of a brief intervention is to motivate the abuser to change his/her problematic behavior. It may include educating the addict on the effects of drinking or drugs and establishing goals and a contract for a change in behavior. Trained clinicians, health care workers, social workers, or professional counselors can conduct brief interventions. These interventions can even be done at home.
Pre-treatment Interventions
If brief interventions don't help, an abuser needs to undergo a pre-treatment intervention. It is a more detailed and longer version of the former one. Generally, a professional counselor meets with the family before the session to gather facts. This session can be helpful to both parties. The counselor, equipped with all the essential information, can effectively handle the addict. And the family can make necessary changes in their behavior to the addict in accordance with the progression of the intervention.
The main part of pre-treatment interventions is the face-to-face sessions with the addict. Normally, around a couple sessions are needed. But, sometimes, as per the requirement, the number of sessions can be five or more.
Will an intervention make the situation worse?
Normally, a professionally conducted intervention is a gentle, conversational process. It is not an argument or an examination of wills. An intervention is designed to improve the lives and awareness of all involved. Moreover, people who quit without expert assistance usually end up back on drugs or alcohol. So, given the great gains, intervention is something worth trying.
Motivational Interviewing
In 1991, William Miller and Stephen Rollnick had challenged the view that all addicts had an intrinsic system of denial. They proposed that offensive techniques elicited a normal reaction of denial and labeled such as abnormal and symptomatic of a chemical dependency issue. Therefore, they set out the idea that it is the behavior of the counselor that is antecedent to resistance and denial in the addict.
As an alternative, Miller and Rollnick proposed a methodological approach that looked at stages of change in the addict and in determining the specific desire or willingness of an addict to change, thereby prescribing the counselors appropriate course of action. The most important point of motivational interviewing is that "addict's resistance is a therapist problem." The point of view then is that professionals must change their behavior according to that of the addict.
Failures
An intervention with perfect planning and carried out properly will certainly result in an addict agreeing to accept help. But, there is always a chance to the contrary- the addict may, for whatever reason, say 'No'. If an intervention fails, the situation is most likely to get worse. As everything is out in the open, the message the family gives the abuser at this point is crucial. By not seeking rehab, the addict is telling his family that he would rather continue to use drugs. And the family would continue suffering.
Even a successful intervention does not guarantee recovery from addiction. Many people consider intervention a failure if the addict does not make the essential transitions during and after formal treatment. But the past records show that up to 85% of addicted people who underwent intervention sought treatment. This reveals that professionally conducted interventions often achieve its goals, i.e. make people willing to take treatment.
|
| Call us any time toll free at 1-800-559-9503 for addiction intervention and one of our trained counselors will ensure attention to you or your loved one. |
|
|
