Intervention

It has been said that the first step in alcohol addiction recovery is the most difficult. What is that first step? Admitting you have a problem. More often than not, the alcoholic has difficulty recognising this problem because his or her mind is so dazed by the alcohol. Thinking clearly is just not possible.

Experts say little can be done to help the alcoholic recover until he or she makes their own free will choice to seek help. Yet those same experts say there is something you can do to encourage that decision. It’s known as an intervention.

An intervention is a controlled scenario in which a group of family members and friends confront the alcoholic about his or her problem. However, the idea is not to accuse the individual, nor is it to try to convince him or her that they are destroying themself by drinking. When you stop and think about it, the alcoholic is already demonstrating that he or she cares little about his or her own well-being.

The Goal of Intervention

The ultimate goal of an intervention is to cause some sort of reaction in the mind of the addict that will motivate them to seek help. Yet if they do not care about their own well-being, what could possibly trigger that decision? Experts say it is the realisation that alcoholism is harming those they love.

In simple terms, the alcoholic may not care about his or her own well-being, but they do not necessarily want to harm their children. As long as they remain drunk, they are unable to see the harm they are doing to those children. The strategy behind the intervention is to force them to see that harm.

When those on the intervention team can make the individual aware of how they are harming others, it often results in an immediate decision to seek help. In cases when it does not, that’s not reason to give up. It may take several interventions before the light goes on.

Proper Procedures

One of the things we do at Alcohol Help is advise family members and friends on the proper procedures for intervention. Nevertheless, we are not experts. We advise our clients to seek professional help in addition to the advice we give. That said, the following are some of the more common guidelines for conducting intervention:

• the tone should be supportive but firm
• team members should avoid accusatory language
• team member should focus on the harm being caused to others
• everyone involved must agree to stop enabling the alcoholic
• team members must be willing to act immediately if the intervention is successful.

Call Us before You Intervene

We cannot stress enough the importance of being prepared to act on a moment’s notice. If an intervention results in a decision to seek help, you need to be ready to have the individual admitted to a program right away. Why? Because he or she may change their mind tomorrow.

If you are considering conducting an intervention with a friend or loved one, we urge you to call us first. We work with the best clinics and outpatient programs in the UK offering alcohol detox and rehab. We can explain all of the treatment options available and assist you in determining what is right in your circumstances. Then, if your friend or loved one does agree to seek help, you can call us back right away so we can arrange for program admission.

You do not have to sit idly by and watch a friend or relative destroying his or her life with alcohol. Consider conducting an intervention if you have a group of people willing to get involved. In either case, please call us today. That’s why we are here.