How to Stage an Intervention That Actually Works

Watching a loved one struggle with addiction is not easy. You probably feel helpless, wanting to intervene but not knowing exactly how to go about it. Staging an intervention can be effective, but you should have a concrete plan before making the attempt. While there is no guarantee of success because every situation and person is different, following certain steps and taking the right approach will give you the best chance of getting your loved one the help that they need.

What Is an Intervention?

An intervention involves several family members and friends coming together to share their concerns with a loved one struggling with addiction, offering help and support and encouraging treatment. An intervention should be well planned, and everyone involved should know what they are going to say. It also should involve providing the addicted person with the resources they need to understand treatment options and a plan to get into a treatment program.

Understand Treatment Options and the Recovery Process

Before you stage the intervention, you need to understand treatment options and the recovery process so that you can provide information to your loved one. Start by finding treatment facilities in your area and learning what they have to offer, as well as information about their process and waiting times.

Most addiction treatment facilities offer three treatment programs that ideally should be attended consecutively, although each program can be a standalone treatment option. These programs are:

• Inpatient Treatment: An inpatient treatment program lasts from 30 to 90 days, and involves a period of medically supervised detox, followed by intensive therapy.
• Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP): A PHP allows your loved one to live at home while attending treatment for four to six hours per day, usually five days a week. The program may last anywhere from four weeks to ten weeks. The treatment consists of therapy similar to that of inpatient treatment.
• Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP): An IOP consists of two to three hours of therapy several days a week for eight to twelve weeks. Often, sessions are held in the evenings so that your loved one can still go to work or attend school.

After IOP, support should continue through support groups, individual therapy, or both. Recovery from addiction is a lifelong process that requires dedication and a strong support network.

Should You Hire a Professional Interventionist?

A professional interventionist is usually a therapist trained to handle addiction interventions. They can help in one of two ways. They can help you to create your intervention plan by understanding your loved one’s specific situation, or they actually be a facilitator of the intervention itself, helping to keep the conversation on track and providing information on treatment options.

A professional can be very helpful, particularly if your loved one has a mental illness in addition to their substance use disorder, or if they have a history of violence or suicidal behavior. Staging an intervention in any case is not easy, and they can provide you with invaluable support and professional advice.

Intervention Steps

Staging an intervention is a step-by-step process.

1.   Get Professional Help

If you choose to involve a professional interventionist in any way, you should contact them first so that they can help you through the planning process.

2.   Gather Your Team

You’ll need to decide what family members or friends will be involved in the intervention if they are willing. They will need to be involved in the planning process so that everyone will be on the same page.

3.   Plan the Logistics

First, choose a day, time, and place to have the intervention. It should be a private place where there will be no interruptions. Try to choose a time when your loved one will be sober if possible.

4.   Plan the Conversation

You’ll need to have a plan for how the conversation will go, including who will say what and when. Each person on your team should have an opportunity to make an impact statement about how your loved one’s addiction has affected them. These statements should not attack your loved one but be stated with love and compassion.

Each person should also have a role in helping your loved one with the treatment process, whether it’s giving them rides to treatment, or taking care of children or pets or other responsibilities while they’re in inpatient treatment.

After everyone has spoken, you’ll present your loved one with specific resources on treatment options. You should have done all the homework for them, so that all your loved one has to do is make the choice to go to treatment.

Keep the conversation as positive as possible, by offering your understanding and compassion without blame.

5.   Rehearse

Your team should rehearse together so that everyone is on the same page about when to speak and what to say.

6.   Have Realistic Expectations

Your team should understand that your loved one may have objections, refuse treatment, or not even be willing to listen. You can’t force your loved one to accept help, or even admit that they have a problem. You can only do the best you can. No one should get angry or aggressive, but everyone should be prepared to set boundaries. Any enabling behavior or codependency should stop, and your loved one should know that these boundaries are being set.

What Not to Do

Knowing what not to do is as important as knowing what to do and say. Things not to do include:

• Using labels like addict or alcoholic.
• Having too many people on the team. This can be overwhelming and lead to chaos.
• Getting angry or upset. Stay calm and loving.
• Embarrassing your loved one. Don’t bring up embarrassing incidents or reveal private information.
• Shaming your loved one. You want them to feel loved and supported, not ashamed.
• Continuing if they are intoxicated. If they are not sober, anything you say is not likely to help. Wait until they sober up.

In Closing

Staging an intervention can create a turning point for your loved one, but it’s not easy. Having a solid plan is the key to success. At Bridges of Hope, we offer many treatment options and can provide you with resources that can help you to help your loved one. We are committed to providing comprehensive, compassionate care so that your loved one can start their journey of recovery. Give us a call today to learn more.