Most people at some point in their lives discover someone they love or work with has a problem with alcohol or drugs. Public health experts estimate 1 in 10 people has a substance abuse problem, so it is unlikely you will never meet someone who needs addiction treatment. And chances are some of those people need an intervention. How do you know if an addiction intervention is the right next step for your family?

The biggest obstacle to addiction treatment is denial. Any attempt to address substance abuse behavior is often met with outright hostility – how dare you suggest such a thing. This attitude is encouraged by a number of factors: as a society we still incorrectly look at addiction as a moral failing and the addict who is confronted about their problem feels threatened. What would they do if they didn’t have their drink or drug of choice? How could they handle life? You are, in effect, threatening their very ability to survive in their eyes.

The point is you can rarely just ask someone if they have a problem with alcohol or drugs and get a straight answer. Most likely, you will have to do a little detective work and figure out on your own if that person needs an addiction intervention.

Here are 10 tell-tale signs that someone you know needs an alcohol intervention or a drug intervention.

1. Tolerance

They need a lot more alcohol or prescription pain medication, whatever their substance of choice, to get the effect they are seeking. You might notice they are filling a prescription more often, or buying an extra case of beer more often. This is because as an addiction escalates, tolerance develops, and the body requires more of the drug just to feel “normal.” If you see tolerance increasing to risky levels, an intervention is a good idea.

2. Deceptive Behavior

The addict will try to disguise their behavior. They might do this by hiding bottles of alcohol, showing up at events already intoxicated so they don’t appear to drink too much in public, or hiding opiate prescription medications in unmarked bottles so you can’t identify them as addictive substances.  In an intervention you can address the deception and move the addict toward treatment.

3. From Clean and Sharp to Just-Rolled-Out-of-Bed

The addict’s appearance deteriorates. An addict has one goal each day: get the alcohol or drug they need. As this need becomes more pressing, other needs get left by the wayside. Their clothes may appear disheveled or they may shave less often; they might appear tired and haggard much of the time. Women will often try to disguise this with more makeup. Remember, however, an alcoholic or addict will put enormous effort into hiding their problem, so a decline in appearance may not occur until the later stages of addiction.  By pointing this aspect out in an intervention, you begin to break through the addict’s denial.

4. Forgetting What They Did or Said

It is common for heavy substance abusers to experience black outs or brown outs. These are periods of time that the alcoholic or addict cannot recall. They might have hazy recall or no recall at all of events that occurred when they were intoxicated. You might remark on something they said or did at a party, and they look utterly baffled. This is a sign of serious substance abuse, especially if it occurs more than once or twice.  Reminding the person about each of these episodes can be a very powerful part of the intervention.

5. Financial Woes

They are having money problems that can’t be explained. Addicts can be pretty adept at manipulating others to feed their addiction, but eventually the cost of substance abuse catches up to them and they can no longer hide dire financial straits. If someone is wealthy, this sign can take a lot time to show up, which may mean their addiction can progress to a much more serious stage before they feel financial pressure to find a solution.  If you have been enabling the addict with money, the intervention is a good time to let them know that money will only be put toward treatment from here forward.

6. Risky Behavior or Just Clumsy

They experience an unusual number of accidents and injuries. Or they may miss the accident, but end up with a DUI. If your friend gets one DUI, that’s a problem; two DUIs indicates a much bigger problem. Generally, normal drinkers get the message with one mistake. Those who get repeated DUIs get them because they cannot stop themselves from drinking; once they have that first drink, they lose the ability to control their intake. For prescription drug addicts, they may have real injuries, or they may begin to “manufacture” pain to get more medication. As addiction progresses, the addict has less regard for their physical health. They may become more accident prone and show signs such as bruises or unexplained injuries.

7. Moody and Unpredictable

They exhibit irrational behavior and mood swings. Being around an addict can be like riding a roller coaster. They will often overreact, particularly to even the slightest mention of their drinking or drug use. You never know if they will be angry, depressed, happy, elated, miserable, hostile…the list goes on. Often their mood is determined by when they last used, how much they used, if they are in withdrawal, or if they are nursing a hangover. Once the addiction has a total grip on a person, their mood is determined by the availability of their drug of choice, sufficient opportunities to use it, and how adeptly they maintain sufficient intoxication to avoid withdrawal symptoms – it becomes a tougher game to play as time goes on.

8. From Responsible to Just Getting By

Previously responsible people are now late to work, sleeping too much, or grades are slipping. Usually if you have known a person for a while, you will recognize certain baseline behaviors. This person is very responsible, rarely calls in sick to work, or always does pretty well in school. If you do know this baseline, changes in behavior can be pretty striking. Someone who prides himself on never calling in sick to work, starts calling in on a regular basis, or worse, goes to work anyway and gets sent home. The young adult who was always a straight-A student has now dropped one class and barely passed two others. Your spouse falls asleep at 9 pm and it would take an atom bomb to wake him – he never used to sleep so heavily.

9. Isolating Themselves

They start to isolate, preferring to be alone at home. Does your friend or loved one avoid doing things they used to love, particularly things that involve other people? Isolating is a common behavior as addiction progresses. They may only want to be around others who drink the way they do, so they narrow their social circle to other substance abusers, or they may have found it’s just easier to get the level of intoxication they want by staying home and taking care of business. Other people just get in the way.  The intervention may be the first time the addict has been in the same room with all their loved ones at the same time. Breaking through that isolation is a powerful part of the intervention process.

10. Worsening Mental Health Problems

Mental health issues that were once mild are getting much worse. Maybe they always got a little down, or had some mild anxiety, but as the addiction progresses, mental health issues often get magnified. Depression may deepen dramatically, or the anxious person might start having panic attacks or develop phobias or paranoid behavior. Alcohol and drugs are often ways of self-medicating for real emotional or psychological issues, but they are a poor solution and usually serve only to exacerbate underlying mental health issues.

We suggest you first read “How to Recognize a High-Functioning Alcoholic” to help you eliminate any denial or soft-pedaling by family members. The high-functioning alcoholic can be one of the most difficult to do an intervention on because denial is so strong.

Families often proceed with an alcohol intervention when the alcoholic has really done significant damage, such as been arrest for DUIs, ended up in the hospital, been in a car wreck, or has completely ruined their financial, professional, and family lives.

It’s different with the high-functioning alcoholic.

This person is often at the top of their profession, making good money, and managing to keep all those balls in the air despite their heavy drinking. They can be some of the toughest interventions because they will challenge you thus: If I’m such an alcoholic, why am I so successful at work?

A professional alcohol intervention is absolutely critical in getting any high-functioning alcoholic to see that he or she needs help. The professional interventionist will be very experienced in getting past this powerful denial. They will know exactly how to best get across the point that just because you’ve been getting away with it, doesn’t mean it’s not a problem.

An alcohol intervention is essential if the high-functioning alcohol you love is in a profession where impaired judgment can truly harm others – such as a doctor who could harm a patient, an attorney who could seriously undermine a legal case for a client, or a high-level executive who could make decisions that threaten jobs and livelihoods.

The high-functioning alcoholic is not as invulnerable to criticism as you might think at first glance. The professional interventionist will do a thorough pre-intervention and will likely come up with many ways to overcome denial. Certainly if you see a problem that is big enough to warrant looking into an intervention, it has more than likely been a problem for a while. Consequences might not be devastating yet, because the HFA often has the money and the power to hide behavior or make the consequences “go away.” But consequences do eventually pile up for everyone.

Typically the cracks in the armor begin appearing when the alcoholic begins to harm family members. Maybe he gets arrested for drunk driver or embarrasses himself at a work event; maybe she makes poor choices while intoxicated, such as an affair; maybe he develops some health problems such as stomach or liver problems. While the HFA can hide the problem at work, the spouse usually gets the brunt of the bad behavior, and divorce is often one of the signs that the behavior is out of control.

The best way to do an alcohol intervention on a high-functioning alcoholic is to hire a very successful interventionist who has a long history of doing difficult or high-end (such as celebrity) interventions. They will understand the denial, the ego, and the obstacles that can undermine an intervention.

In fact, binge drinking is a serious problem on college campuses across America. It’s also something that your own son or daughter may be involved in, whether you want to admit it or not.

How can you deal with the reality of binge drinking, casual or chronic drug use when it comes your offspring? Better yet, what can or should you do about it? Here we take a look at some important things every parent of a college-age son or daughter need to know.

College Students Drink, But Not All Drink to Excess

First of all, let’s be clear about one thing: not every college student drinks, or, if he or she does, it’s not to excess. But there is no denying that drinking and drug use are rampant across college campuses.

Parents also may have a lot of misinformation and misperception about what’s really going on with their son or daughter. What we may consider to be "normal" drinking may or may not be appropriate in the context of our sons and daughters away at school, or even living at home and going to college.

When we’re able to separate the myths from reality, we have a better likelihood of being able to construct meaningful conversations with our offspring about drinking and, if necessary, arrange for an intervention to get help for their out-of-control abuse of alcohol and/or drugs.

Drinking Problems: Depend on How Much and How Frequent

If someone drinks only occasionally and doesn’t overdo it, it is likely that he or she does not have a problem with alcohol. The same may or may not hold true for drug use, since there are certain drugs that, alone or taken in combination with alcohol, can prove deadly with a single episode.

Frequency of alcohol intake is one measure of drinking. If your son or daughter drinks every day, there may be a problem.

Quantity of alcohol consumed is another measure. If your son or daughter frequently binges, that is consumes five or more drinks in a row in a short period of time, there is clearly a problem with alcohol.

In short, frequency of binge drinking episodes is a fairly accurate indicator of risky drinking behavior among college students.

Heavy drinking is defined as binge drinking on at least five days in the past 30 days.

Statistics Tell Some of the Story

Looking at statistics, it’s possible to get a better picture of the rate of drinking and drug use among college students. But statistics, while they are informative, only tell part of the story. What happens with your own son or daughter may or may not be reflective of the overall statistics.

The 2010 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) (http://www.samhsa.gov/data/NSDUH/2k10Results/Web/PDFW/2k10Results.pdf), from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) shows that alcohol abuse and dependence among those aged 18 to 25 is actually decreasing, from 17.7 percent in 2002 to 17.2 percent in 2008 and 16.0 percent in 2009.

But among college students, young adults aged 18 to 22 who were enrolled full-time were more likely than their peers not enrolled full-time to use alcohol in the past month, binge drink, and drink heavily. The 2010 statistics are particularly frightening. In 2010, among full-time college students, 63.3 percent were current drinkers, 42.2 percent were binge drinkers, and 15.6 percent were heavy drinkers. The pattern of higher rates of current alcohol use, binge alcohol use, and heavy alcohol use among full-time college students compared with rates for others aged 18 to 22 has remained consistent since 2002.

On the other hand, the current use of illicit drugs by young adults aged 18 to 25 increased from 19.6 percent in 2008 to 21.2 percent in 2009 and 21.5 percent in 2010, driven largely by an increase in marijuana use (from 16.5 percent in 2008 to 18.1 percent in 2009 and 18.5 percent in 2010). Marijuana remains the overarching illicit drug of choice.

Other illicit substances and prescription-type drugs misused and abused by young adults include pain relievers and cocaine. From 2009 to 2010, there was a decrease in the nonmedical use of prescription-type drugs by young adults aged 18 to 25 (from 6.3 to 5.9 percent). Cocaine use rates from 2009 and 2010 were similar, from 1.4 to 1.5 percent. Methamphetamine use rates were the same for 2009 and 2010, at 0.2 percent.

Looking at college students in particular, among those aged 18 to 22, the rate of current use of illicit drugs in 2010 among full-time college students (22.0 percent) was similar to the rate of others in that age group (23.5 percent), which includes part-time college students, students in other grades or types of institutions, and nonstudents.

Among full-time college students, marijuana usage increased from 2008 to 2009 (from 17.9 to 20.2 percent). In addition, current nonmedical use of psychotherapeutic drugs overall decreased to 5.0 percent in 2010, similar to the 5.2 percent in 2009, but down from 6.3 percent in 2008.

What to Look For: Danger Signs

Suppose you think you know your college-age son or daughter so well that you believe there is nothing to worry about. Then, when your child comes home for a holiday visit, you see signs that things have changed. It may be that the differences are just subtle, and you may tend to dismiss them as indications your child is growing up or distancing himself or herself from parental influence.

You may be making a big mistake.

Here are some danger signs to be on the lookout for, any one of which may spell a risk for drug and/or alcohol abuse that could require an intervention.

• Poor grades or school performance
• Irritability, sudden and/or unexplained
• Strained relationship with parents, siblings and non-college friends
• Financial difficulties
• Developing a high tolerance for alcohol, which leads to an increased need to drink more
• Developing a preoccupation for obtaining alcohol
• Withdrawing from some social and school activities in order to go out partying or to the bars more
• Getting involved in an accident while drinking
• Getting arrested for DWI or DUI
• Sudden or unexpected weight loss
• Redness of nose or cheeks
• Withdrawal symptoms when stopping drinking, including sweating, anxiety, shakes, nausea
• Blacking out or not remembering what happened while drinking
• Drinking in the morning
• Smell of alcohol on the breath
• Red eyes
• Change in appearance

For more information on the signs and symptoms of alcohol abuse and dependence, check out the Web MD site.

Will an Intervention Help?

Now, let’s say that you’ve noticed several signs that have you worried. What should you do? Will an intervention help? Is there time to get one going? Are you afraid you’ll risk antagonizing your son or daughter if you do arrange for an intervention?

Put this all in perspective. If your son or daughter began drinking before the age of 15, he or she is already engaged in a pattern of risky behavior that, without treatment, will likely result in alcohol dependence or addiction – if it hasn’t come to that already. Similarly, alcohol dependence and addiction frequently go hand-in-hand with other types of substance abuse, both illicit and the misuse of prescription drugs for nonmedical purposes.

The only way you’ll help your son or daughter to get off this vicious cycle of using, coming down, and using again is to encourage your child to get help to overcome the problem.

But most college-age young adults resent the heck out of anyone, especially their parents, trying to tell them they need help. They’ll deny that there’s any sort of a problem with drugs or alcohol, despite mounting negative consequences and obvious signs that there is something wrong.

So just having a discussion with your son or daughter about their drinking and/or drug use may not produce the desired effect. Your child may tell you whatever he or she thinks you want to hear and just as soon as they’re out the door and back at school, they’ll just resume their self-destructive pattern of behavior.

Of course, if your child has gotten into a serious scrape with the law or been kicked out of school for one reason or another, you’ll really have no choice but to deal with it.

Either way, whether you suspect a problem with alcohol or drug use, but your son or daughter denies it, or you know there is a problem and your child refuses to get help, you may wish to consider a professional intervention for your college student.

Intervention: What Is It and How Do You Go About Arranging One?

An intervention is a process by which change is introduced into people’s thoughts, feelings and behaviors. Interventions can be formal or informal, but they have one primary objective: to get the person to listen and accept help. The overall objective is to begin to relieve the suffering caused by the individual’s self-destructive behavior.

In a formal intervention, several people, including family members, loved ones and friends, led by a professional interventionist, get together to approach a person involved in self-destructive behavior, like out-of-control drug and/or alcohol abuse or dependence, and talk to them in a clear and respectful way about the behavior in question. There’s more to it, of course, but the bottom line is that the goal is to get the individual to admit to a problem with substance abuse and to agree to accept help to learn how to overcome it.

Many people are uncertain how to go about finding an interventionist. That’s not anything to be ashamed of. We only tend to find out about such things when we really need them.

You could start with the family doctor and ask for a recommendation. Maybe you know the parents of another college student who went through an intervention prior to going into treatment. If that worked out well, you might explore working with that interventionist or at least giving the individual a call to ask the kinds of questions you naturally have.

Treatment centers are another logical first step, since they may be able to provide counselors to help with an intervention. There are also third-party professional interventionists for hire. These are people who have been thoroughly trained in how to do an intervention.

Always be sure to check out the professional interventionist or intervention service. You want an interventionist with exceptional credentials, sterling references and a great deal of experience, specifically with doing interventions for college students. Check out the Association of Intervention Specialists to find a professional interventionist, all of whom are board registered interventionists and adhere to the AIS Code of Ethics.

Why not do the intervention yourself? For one thing, unless you’re a professional drug and alcohol interventionist, you aren’t properly equipped to handle the emotional aspects of the intervention. You may be swayed by tears and angry outbursts, feel a sense of shame or guilt about confronting your college-age son or daughter. Worst of all, you may back down and allow your son or daughter to continue behaving as before.

With a professional interventionist present, however, you can be assured that the meeting will take place according to evidence-based procedures. There will be a pre-meeting for family members and possibly close friends where everyone meets with the interventionist to go over what will take place during the actual intervention.

During the intervention itself, the interventionist’s sole purpose is to get your son or daughter to acknowledge that his or her abuse is a problem and to accept and be willing to go into treatment. During the meeting, family members and close friends read aloud statements that they have prepared ahead of time, telling your son or daughter how his or her drug or alcohol abuse has impacted them, that they are here out of love for the individual and only want him or her to get the treatment they need.

It’s also critically important that your college student son or daughter realize that there will be no more enabling of the drug or alcohol abuse by family members. Excuses will no longer be tolerated and there will be no further support unless and until the individual accepts treatment.

Once your college-age child agrees to go into treatment, the intervention is over. Arrangements for admission to a drug or alcohol rehab facility should already have been made and the interventionist often accompanies the individual directly to the facility. There’s no downtime, no delay to give your son or daughter an opportunity to back out. This is striking while the iron is hot, so to speak.

Prognosis for Recovery

Look upon the professional intervention as an important part of the healing process from drug or alcohol addiction.

Of course, one time in rehab for drug or alcohol abuse may not be sufficient to overcome chronic addiction. Your college-age son or daughter may relapse, requiring further counseling or treatment one or more times in a rehab facility or private counseling. This does not mean the original rehab was a failure. It only means that there may be more time required for your child to understand the disease of addiction, learn more about how to recognize triggers and learn and practice coping strategies for dealing effectively with cravings and urges.

Participation in 12-Step groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous or other self-help groups is also strongly encouraged following completion of drug and alcohol rehab.

With continued support and encouragement from family and peer support groups, your college-age son or daughter will have a much better chance of maintaining sobriety and living a more fulfilling life. Don’t shortchange your child who may be in trouble with drugs and/or alcohol. The time to act is now if you believe there is, indeed, a problem. It is undoubtedly the most loving thing you can do to get your college-age child off drugs and alcohol and on the way to a happy and drug-free life.

Young Adulthood – From 18 to …

Generally speaking, a person is considered a young adult when they attain the age of 18. They’re not 21, which is legal drinking age, and they’re not still children. They definitely have a mind of their own, no doubt honed during their often-tumultuous teenage years.

The age of young adulthood spans from 18 to 23 or 28, depending on which expert you consult or which intervention and rehab program for young adults you’re looking at.

There are some individuals who may have achieved the chronological age that society deems means they should be capable of making informed choices about their lives, yet they may be hampered by years of abusing substances and engaging in other risky behavior.

So, consider that young adults, in the context of drug and alcohol intervention for young adults, ranges from the age of 18 to 28.

Intervention – Some Basics

What is an intervention? Who needs it? When should you consider it for a young adult in your family, or for your close friend or loved one? Here are some answers.

In essence, an intervention for drug or alcohol abuse is a strategy that’s designed to interrupt or halt the course of what otherwise would be the progressive – and often fatal – illness of chemical dependency, or addiction.

If you’re reading this with any thought of trying to get some immediate help for your loved one, it’s not being disloyal or cruel to strongly consider an intervention. Why? The fact is that young adults who are exhibiting symptoms of drug and alcohol abuse will be the first ones to deny that there’s any problem at all. They will voice vehement objections over getting help for a perceived problem, and may even go so far as to question your love for them.

Most likely, the young adult with the substance abuse problem is incapable of recognizing what is, in fact, a reality: they have a chemical dependence. Since he or she can’t see that there’s a problem, there’s no reason on earth to pursue getting help. And it’s highly unlikely that the individual will just stop using alcohol or drugs (or both) just because you bring it up and express your concern. Maybe the usage will cease temporarily, but it won’t last.

It can’t, because once a person is dependent on chemicals, their body and brain craves it beyond all reason. Your loved one who is age 18 to 28 uses chemicals as a way to cope with life’s problems and associated stress when, in fact, much of this may be caused by the use of substances themselves.

Considering that your loved one has a distorted view of reality, trying to reason with him or her most likely won’t work. But you can’t just stand back and allow such self-destructive behavior to continue, can you? To do so would be unconscionable. The only way to break through the distortion is to have reality presented in such a clear and informed way that it cannot be denied.

This is accomplished through drug and alcohol intervention. And the best intervention is conducted by a trained professional.

Intervention – Who Needs It?

Next, let’s look at who needs an intervention. What should you look for to give yourself peace of mind that an intervention is, indeed, what your young adult loved one really needs?

While there are any number of questionnaires about drug and alcohol use freely available on the Internet, at various treatment sites, on 12-step self-help groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous, here is a sampling of questions that you can review. For alcohol and drugs, read through the following and see how much of it applies to the young adult you suspect has a problem with substances:

• Is there any family history of alcohol or drug problems? This includes close relatives such as parents, siblings or grandparents.
• Does the individual use alcohol or drugs on a consistent basis? Is this person often the last one to leave the bar, closing the joint?
• Does the individual have a reputation as being the “life of the party,” a “real party animal,” or someone who really enjoys drinking and drug use and looks forward to occasions to indulge?
• Have you, or someone else close to the young adult, ever complained about or worried aloud over the person’s drinking or drug use?
• Does the prospect of not having access to or being able to use drugs or alcohol cause the individual to be angry or anxious? Think about an occasion where such substances would not be available, such as a church function, or other gathering where no alcohol is served.
• Does this individual gulp down drinks so as to get high quicker?
• Have you noticed a change in the individual’s pattern of behavior with respect to alcohol and/or drugs? Does he or she drink or do drugs alone, switch off substances, use more or use more often now than in the past?
• Does the young adult have episodes where he or she can’t remember what happened while drinking or doing drugs?
• Has the individual been arrested for DUI or DWI?
• Does the person continue to drink, long after others have “called it a night” or stopped drinking in the interest of safety, knowing their limits? Does he or she keep on using drugs or alcohol, even though it’s clear that the limit has been reached?
• Do you hear apologies over what happened while the individual was drunk or high on drugs, or regrets and assurances that he or she will clean up their act?
• Has the individual tried to stop drinking or doing drugs, but the hiatus only lasted a short time before it began all over again?
• Does he or she appear guilty over use of drugs or alcohol, become angry or defensive if you mention your concern?
• Have you noticed the tolerance of the young adult has increased? In other words, does it seem as though the individual is able to drink or use drugs more than he or she did some time ago, say five years?
• How often does this individual suffer blackouts – periods where he or she can’t remember anything at all that happened during the time of drinking or drug use?
• Have there been difficulties at work or at school, such as frequent absences, poor work performance, missing deadlines, complaints from others about behavior, attitude and appearance?
• Does he or she frequently drink or use more than intended?
• Have you noticed the young adult has the shakes, is nauseated, complains of a terrible hangover, or appears depressed, anxious, moody or paranoid when sober?
• What about illnesses that may be related to alcohol or drug use, such as persistent vomiting or diarrhea, broken blood vessels in the nose or cheekbone area, no appetite, glassy eyes, high blood pressure, liver disease, pneumonia, hepatitis, seizures, pancreatitis, gastritis, cirrhosis, delirium tremens (DTs), or heart palpitations?
• Has the young adult suffered serious loss as a result of alcohol or drug use, such as getting fired from a job, losing a driver’s license, alienation or separation from a loved one, loss of financial security?
• Has the individual been hospitalized or gone to the emergency room for injuries, trauma, or accidents sustained as a result of drinking or using drugs?
• Has the young adult expressed the desire to commit suicide? Has he or she ever had hallucinations after drinking or doing drugs, exhibited paranoia, become extremely fearful or anxious over seemingly nothing?
• Is the personal appearance of the individual noticeably changed? Does he or she neglect to bathe, wear wrinkled or dirty clothes, no longer exercise, or refuse to see a doctor even when there’s an obvious medical condition that needs attention?

The answers to these questions may point to early, middle or late-stage addiction of the young adult. In any case, answering yes to five or more of them is a reasonably accurate indication that an intervention may be appropriate for your young adult loved one.

How to Arrange for an Intervention

Once you determine that an intervention is in the best interest of the young adult, the next step is to make arrangements for it.

Many people are uncertain how to go about finding an interventionist. This certainly isn’t anything to be ashamed of. We only tend to find out about such things when we really need them.

One way is to start with the family doctor and ask for a recommendation. Maybe you know the parents of another young adult who went through an intervention prior to going into treatment. If that worked out well, you might explore working with that interventionist or at least giving the individual a call to ask the kinds of questions you naturally have.

Treatment centers are another logical first step, since they may be able to provide counselors to help with an intervention for a young adult. There are also third-party professional interventionists for hire. These are people who have been thoroughly trained in how to do an intervention.

Always be sure to check out the professional interventionist or intervention service. You want an interventionist with exceptional credentials, sterling references and a great deal of experience, specifically with doing interventions for young adults. Check out the Association of Intervention Specialists to find a professional interventionist, all of whom are board registered interventionists and adhere to the AIS Code of Ethics.

Why not just perform the intervention yourself? For one thing, unless you’re a professional drug and alcohol interventionist, you aren’t properly equipped to handle the emotional aspects of the intervention. You may be swayed by tears and angry outbursts, feel a sense of shame or guilt about confronting your young adult son or daughter. Worst of all, you may back down and allow your son or daughter to continue behaving as before.

With a professional interventionist present, however, you can be assured that the meeting will take place according to evidence-based procedures. There will be a pre-meeting for family members and possibly close friends where everyone meets with the interventionist to go over what will take place during the actual intervention.

During the intervention itself, the interventionist’s sole purpose is to get the young adult to acknowledge that his or her abuse is a problem and to accept and be willing to go into treatment. During the meeting, family members and close friends read aloud statements that they have prepared ahead of time, telling the young adult how his or her drug or alcohol abuse has impacted them, and that they are here out of love for the individual and only want him or her to get the treatment they need.

It’s also critically important that the young adult realize that there will be no more enabling of the drug or alcohol abuse by family members. Excuses will no longer be tolerated and there will be no further support unless and until the individual accepts treatment.

Once the individual agrees to go into treatment, the intervention is over. Arrangements for admission to a drug or alcohol rehab facility should already have been made and the interventionist often accompanies the individual directly to the facility. There’s no downtime, no delay to give the person an opportunity to back out. The time to act has come.

Remember that if an individual is 18 or older, treatment cannot be forced upon him or her, unless it is the result of a court order, usually as part of a sentence. Even so, if your young adult agrees to go into treatment during the intervention, you’ll want to have the treatment facility arrangements already made. If you dally, needing to find the facility and make the necessary arrangements, you will lose the momentum of the moment. That’s definitely not the way you want to go if you’re serious about getting help for the young adult.

What Are the Prospects for Recovery?

Since recovery is the ultimate goal, the reason you’re thinking about drug or alcohol intervention for the young adult, it’s important to keep the long view. Look upon the professional intervention as an important and integral first part of the healing process from drug or alcohol addiction.

Of course, one time in rehab for drug or alcohol abuse may not be sufficient to overcome chronic addiction. Your young adult son or daughter may relapse, requiring further counseling or treatment one or more times in a rehab facility or private counseling. This does not mean the original rehab was a failure. It only means that there may be more time required for your son or daughter (or other close family relative or friend) to understand the disease of addiction, learn more about how to recognize triggers and learn and practice coping strategies for dealing effectively with cravings and urges.

Participation in 12-Step groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous or other self-help groups is also strongly encouraged following completion of drug and alcohol rehab.

With continued support and encouragement from family and peer support groups, your young adult will have a much better chance of maintaining sobriety and living a more fulfilling life. Don’t shortchange your son or daughter who may be in trouble with drugs and/or alcohol, thinking that they’ll be able to overcome this formidable hurdle alone. The time to act is now if you believe there is, indeed, a problem. It is undoubtedly the most loving thing you can do to get your young adult son or daughter off drugs and alcohol and on the way to a happy and drug-free life.

Considering everything, ask yourself again: Is now the right time to get your loved one, family member or close friend aged 18 to 28 drug and alcohol intervention for young adults? If so, the sooner you get involved, the sooner the young adult will be able to begin the healing process.

Recognize the Opportunity

Sure, it’s natural to lament what you did or didn’t do as parents to warn your children about the dangers of drugs and alcohol. What you should have done is have early and frequent discussions about how damaging substance abuse can be, even prescription drugs used for non-medical purposes. What you should have done is establish family rules about no drug or alcohol use and clearly communicate them to your children. What you should have done is to keep the lines of communication open, listen to your children, and support them when the going gets rough or they’re subjected to intense peer pressure to experiment with drugs and alcohol.

But, even if you did do those things, that doesn’t mean that your teen might not fall prey to drug and alcohol abuse and addiction. Early experimentation often leads to more frequent use which then can become abuse and finally dependence or addiction.

No use to cry over what might have been. Now is the time to recognize that you have an opportunity, once you first spot the telltale signs of drug or alcohol use. You can take steps to address this problem right here and now and get the appropriate help for your teen.

What is that help? It is in the form of a teen intervention.

Telltale Signs of Drug or Alcohol Abuse

Before we discuss the specifics of a teen intervention, it’s a good idea to recap some of the common signs, those telltale and unmistakable signs, that your teen is fooling around with drugs or alcohol. Maybe your teenager doesn’t exhibit all the signs, but does show a good number of them on a regular basis. That’s enough for concern and alerts you that there is, indeed, a problem with abuse going on here.

There are general signs of drug and alcohol use and more specific symptoms of abuse relative to certain types of drugs or alcohol in general.

General signs include the following:

• Grades drop dramatically. You’ve been accustomed to seeing a certain level of performance with your child, but suddenly your teen starts accumulating lower grades, even failing grades, in school.
• Skipping school becomes a frequent occurrence. It may begin with tardiness, an inability to get up in time to go to school and then progress to outright skipping classes completely.
• Mood changes become a regular thing. When your teen begins to display crying jags, or becomes depressed and moody to the point of days on end, this is a sign that there’s more going on than just typical teen emotions. Something’s out of whack.
• Your teen starts foregoing usual activities. Let’s say your teen loves being involved in after-school activities, playing in the band, taking part in sports, music or other activities. Then, one day, you notice that he or she isn’t doing any of these things anymore. Whatever your teen once enjoyed doing no longer is part of everyday activity. That’s not a good sign.
• You notice your teen’s appearance has changed. Teens aren’t always the most immaculately groomed, but if you start to see that your child’s hygiene starts to suffer, or that there’s a dramatic weight loss or gain, or your teen adopts unusual fashion changes, this is a signal to pay attention to what else may be going on with your child.
• Friends suddenly change. Your teen has had a number of regular friends, pals he or she has hung around with for quite some time. Then, as if out of the blue, they don’t come around anymore. Maybe they’ve been replaced by new friends, some whom you’ve never met or even that your teen won’t introduce you to. What’s happened? There may be something to do with the new friends’ behavior involving drugs and alcohol that you need to be concerned about.
• Money goes missing from the home. If your teenager is getting deep into drugs and alcohol, it takes money to finance this behavior. When money or valuables go missing from the home, this is a telltale sign that the money is being used for something that your teen doesn’t want you to know about. It could very well be drugs or alcohol.
• Your teen exhibits secretive behavior. Every teen guards his or her privacy, but if your teen locks himself or herself in their room and doesn’t come out for hours, gets irate if you enter without knocking, or takes an inordinately long time to come to the door if you knock or call, it just might be a sign that there are things your child is keeping from you.
• Your teen starts being hostile or aggressive. Sudden angry outbursts or outright aggressive behavior toward you or other family members is a definite warning sign that drugs or alcohol use may be going on.
• Motivation is lacking. When a teen is involved in drug or alcohol use, he or she will often become listless, not caring to do much of anything, certainly nothing that requires pursuing goals or exerting effort to achieve. That is, unless the goal is scoring drugs or alcohol. If your teen is abusing substances, this is one of the only things that may get him or her motivated.
• Your child can’t seem to remember things. Forgetfulness is another general telltale sign of drug or alcohol use. Once in a while is normal for every teen. After all, they’re going through a lot of changes. But if your teen can’t remember on a regular basis or seems to “forget” important things like assigned household tasks or family rules, there’s something wrong.
• Your teen’s sleeping habits change. Maybe it’s a gradual change that you begin to notice or it could occur suddenly and without warning, but if your child’s sleeping habits dramatically change, this is a sign that should be concerning to you. Either sleeping much too long or not sleeping well or at all is a sign of trouble.
• Your teen seems depressed. Depression, a state that persists for weeks without letup, is not a good sign. It could be a telltale sign that drugs or alcohol are in the picture.
• Your teen seems overly anxious. Certain drugs make the user extremely anxious, even paranoid, especially when the high wears off. Any frequent or prolonged anxiety is a trouble sign that could have something to do with drugs or alcohol or both.
• Something just doesn’t seem right about your teen. Maybe you can’t pinpoint exactly what it is, but you do know your child and you feel instinctively when something doesn’t seem right. If it doesn’t seem right, it probably means it isn’t right. Drug or alcohol use could be at the bottom of it.

Teen Intervention

What is teen intervention? Simply put, it is the coming together of family and friends, often with the guidance of a trained interventionist, to get the teen to the point of admitting he or she has a problem with drugs or alcohol and accepting treatment.

Some parents prefer to begin with a candid conversation with their teen about drug and alcohol use, particularly if the parents have witnessed several warning signs that their teen has been using substances.

But some teens have already progressed to an out-of-control behavior state where well-meaning parental discussions no longer have any impact. Often the only way to get through to your teen is through a professional intervention.

Early Teen Intervention Can Help Prevent Years of Addiction

Does a teen intervention seem like overkill? Do you think that an intervention is only right for skid row bums or stone alcoholics or drug addicts who’ve been arrested for DUIs, incarcerated for petty crimes, got fired from numerous jobs, lost their homes or families as a result of their substance abuse? If you think that, you’d be wrong.

The statistics about early drug and alcohol use among adolescents and teens are startling. Research studies have shown that the earlier a child begins experimenting with alcohol and drugs, particularly if it occurs before the age of 15, the more likely they are to go on to full-blown drug or alcohol use later in adulthood. They are at greater risk for addiction.

So, the earlier that your teen who has been abusing drugs or alcohol has an intervention that is handled in a professional manner, the sooner he or she – assuming that treatment is accepted – can get the help needed to be able to overcome the substance abuse.

According to some experts, there are four phases of drug or alcohol addiction that apply equally well to teens. Stages one and two are where teens experiment with and use drugs or alcohol in a social setting. During stage three, teens arrange their life around their drug and alcohol use and everything else goes by the wayside. In stage four, all the teen thinks about is getting high, and scoring drugs for the next high. Not surprisingly, intervention and treatment work best if they occur during the first two stages.

Don’t be fooled by your teen’s insistence that there’s nothing wrong, that he or she just tried drugs or alcohol once, or that they’ll never do it again. If they’ve exhibited several of the telltale warning signs of drug or alcohol abuse, they’re already deeply involved. You can’t take their word for it, because it’s not their brain that’s talking. It’s the drugs. Teens, just like adult substance abusers, will deny they have a problem. Some studies have found that most teens won’t seek help for a drug or alcohol problem until they’re in their 30s. By that time, however, their chemical dependence, which began while they were in high school, is problematic. In other words, it’s tougher to overcome substance abuse that’s become entrenched.

Even if your teen doesn’t want to go into treatment, as parents you can insist that this happens. Just because your teen may be against treatment doesn’t mean that he or she can’t benefit from treatment. A study at the University of California Los Angeles showing treatment outcomes among methamphetamine addicts who had been legally pressured into treatment was not dramatically different from those who entered treatment without any pressure.

What we, as parents, can take away from this is that the important thing is to get teens with substance abuse problems into treatment. How they feel before they go into treatment is not the determining factor over whether or not they’re helped by treatment.

How to Find a Teen Interventionist

If you’re at your wits end and nothing you’ve tried thus far has worked out with getting your teen to stop using drugs or alcohol and put some healthy behaviors back into his or her life, now may be the time to go for a teen interventionist. The question then becomes, how do you find one?

You could start with the family doctor and ask for a recommendation. Maybe you know the parents of another teen who went through an intervention prior to going into treatment. If that worked out well, you might explore working with that interventionist or at least giving the individual a call to ask the kinds of questions you naturally have.

Treatment centers are another logical first step, since they may be able to provide counselors to help with an intervention. There are also third-party professional interventionists for hire. These are people who have been thoroughly trained in how to do an intervention.

Always be sure to check out the professional interventionist or intervention service. You want an interventionist with exceptional credentials, sterling references and a great deal of experience, specifically with doing teen interventions. Check out the Association of Intervention Specialists to find a professional interventionist, all of whom are board registered interventionists and adhere to the AIS Code of Ethics.

What to Expect in the Teen Intervention

There’s more to the teen intervention that simply the family and the interventionist sitting down with the teen. There’s pre-intervention planning and work, the actual intervention, getting your teen to the right treatment facility that specializes in treating teens with substance abuse problems, monitoring the treatment and developing an after-care program. Some recovery experts recommend that parents choose an interventionist with case management experience.

During the actual intervention, there will be a lot of open discussion, tears and brutal honesty, as well as tough love on the part of family and close friends. Your teen may at first be outright hostile, resentful, or even try to run away, either literally or by distancing himself or herself emotionally. This is quite normal behavior during a teen intervention. In any case, whether the person for whom the intervention is being conducted is a teen or an adult, this is a highly-charged emotional time.

It is also a crucial time for your teen. It may be the best chance your teen has to get the help that he or she so desperately needs but doesn’t know or believe it yet.

The ultimate goal of the teen intervention is that your teen accepts and goes into treatment. The best scenario is that the interventionist or other “escort” literally accompanies your teen to the treatment facility, ideally a residential drug and alcohol rehab facility that specializes in treating teens with substance abuse problems. Many times transportation this is by car, although in the cases where the treatment facility is in a distant city or another state, a plane or train trip may be required. The reason why it’s best for your teen to immediately go into treatment is that this is striking while the iron is hot, so to speak. Once your teen says, “Yes,” the object is to get your teen into treatment.

Delay can cause all sorts of other perceived obligations or obstacles to get in the way. You don’t want that. Although it may be stressful to see your teen go through this experience of an intervention and your heart naturally goes out to your child, the absolute best thing that you can do for your teen is to remain steadfast in both your support and demand that your teen go into treatment.

Think of teen intervention for drug or alcohol abuse as the first step on your teen’s road to recovery. Healing does take time and your teen will need your unwavering support and encouragement as he or she begins a new life of sobriety.

Be ready to intervene with the help of a professional interventionist who can conduct a safe and effective teen intervention to start the process of recovery for your child. It is undoubtedly the most loving thing you can do to get your teen off drugs and alcohol and on the way to a happy and drug-free life.

But when we’re talking about addiction of one of our family members or loved ones, or even one of our close friends, we may be losing more than just an opportunity. Our failure to act may be one of the worst decisions we’ve ever made.

Let’s look at some scenarios and see how our failure to act could be so detrimental to another’s life – and our own.

Escalation of Serious Negative Consequences

Addiction isn’t a straight-line path for everyone. Some individuals can “carry on” for years as high-functioning alcoholics or confine their drug use to surreptitious forays and cloak their growing dependence using a variety of subterfuges, distorted half-truths, and outright lies.

There does come a time, however, when it all starts crashing down. The lies have escalated to the point where the individual can’t even keep track of them anymore. Friends, family members, loved ones and employers catch the person in first one, and then another and another falsehood.

Pretty soon, it’s more than just deception and lies that are happening all too frequently. The individual, who has by now become dependent on alcohol or drugs, begins to have difficulty sticking to schedules, frequently loses track of time, and gets into a series of consequences that escalate in their seriousness.

Naturally, the person who is addicted doesn’t see anything wrong. It takes almost total loss of everything the individual holds dear for the realization that he or she is addicted to really sink in. And by then, there may very well be the loss of a job, home, financial ruin, health consequences, and estrangement from family and loved ones.

When an addict goes untreated, it only gets worse. At the end of the line, when all is lost, sometimes the individual decides that taking his or her own life is the only solution.

This is a deadly consequence of putting off an intervention that you know is necessary. No, you can’t force the addict to get treatment, but you can certainly offer your support and encouragement, along with the help of other friends and family members and possibly a trained interventionist.

It’s certainly something worth considering. But let’s take a look at another scenario where putting off an intervention could prove to be a deadly decision.

Abuse Results from Continuing Addiction

It’s not easy being a parent even in the best of times. It’s also tough to be a loving spouse or partner in times of crisis. But add in addiction and the prospects for a healthy family atmosphere just gets murkier.

When one family member is an addict, either to alcohol or drugs, or gambling or compulsive sexual behavior, workaholism or compulsive spending – or a combination of these – going over the line and becoming abusive to family members and loved ones is all too common. The more the addict feels cornered or threatened or is running out of options and excuses, the greater the risk that he or she will start taking out frustrations and anger on those nearby.

It’s just too easy to lash out, first verbally and then physically. Cruelty to spouse and/or children in the household is certainly not inevitable, but it happens so frequently as to be statistically significant.

And abuse leads to psychological and physical damage in those who are abused. In many cases, an abused child grows up to be an abuser to his or her children and spouse as well. In this regard, the consequences of foregoing an intervention could be extremely damaging to the persons closest to the addict.

Even if your loved one, family member or close friend hasn’t yet resorted to physical violence and abuse, it may only be a matter of time. Addiction changes how the individual is able to process what’s going on, interferes with rational thinking, increases aggression, and results in poor decision-making.

Why allow such a heartbreaking outcome to occur – when you could take the time and make the effort to stage a potentially lifesaving intervention?

Financial Difficulties Intensify, Putting Children at Risk

Let’s face it: Addiction costs money. As a person sinks deeper into addiction, what may have started off as casual drinking or doing drugs has propelled the individual into a vicious cycle of drug-seeking, using, coming off the high, and starting the process all over again. By the time the person is completely hooked, seeking, using and seeking takes over his or her life.

It also costs a great deal of money. Besides the cost of the drugs (or alcohol, or gambling, or any other type of addiction), there are the ancillary costs to be taken into account. Days lost from work, a cut in pay due to poor work performance, loss of a job, court costs, fines, money to pay for lawyers, medical bills – all these add up to wreak a tremendous toll on the family’s financial situation.

Something’s got to give. It may be that the mortgage or rent falls into arrears. The utilities go unpaid. Necessary medical and dental expenditures are put off, including those for minor children living in the household. Food becomes scarce. Clothing is worn, left dirty. Personal hygiene is untended to.

Still, without an intervention and treatment, the addict won’t curtail his or her self-destructive pattern of behavior.

But it’s not just the addict that suffers. Worst of all, the children in the family are being neglected by one or both parents as a result of addiction. Suffering more than just physically, the children are being put at a great risk for psychological and emotional damage.

Hoping against hope that this isn’t the case, or couldn’t possibly be the case, with your friend or loved one just won’t cut it. If you even suspect – and you know by now whether you do suspect addiction or not – you owe it to the addict, yourself, and any person who’s in daily close contact with that individual to encourage an intervention and ultimately get treatment for the addict.

Fatalities or Injuries as a Result of Driving Drunk

No one likes to think about the consequences of a loved one or family member driving drunk, getting into an accident, and causing injuries or death to others. But the fact of the matter is that the more often someone who’s inebriated or drugged gets behind the wheel, the more likely it is that sooner or later that individual will cause an accident – with potentially fatal results.

Consider the facts. According to the 2010 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), in 2010, an estimated 22.1 million persons aged 12 or older were classified with substance dependence or abuse in the past year. Of these, 2.9 million were dependent on or abused both alcohol and illicit drugs, 4.2 million had dependence on or abuse of illicit drugs but not alcohol, and 15.0 million had dependence on or abuse of alcohol but not illicit drugs.

The survey also inquired about driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs within the past year. The answers reported were also alarming here, with 10.6 million persons aged 12 or older saying that they had driven under the influence of illicit drugs during the past 12 months, and 11.4 percent reporting that they had driven under the influence of alcohol at least one time during the past year.

It doesn’t take a mathematician to figure out that the potential for tragedy is everywhere on the roads and highways of this country each year. With the largest concentration of illicit drug and alcohol use among those aged 18 to 25, it also stands to reason that this age group is even more likely to become involved in a motor vehicle accident while under the influence.

Remember, it only takes one time driving drunk or under the influence of drugs to result in a tragedy that the individual will never be able to erase. Ironically, the person who causes such accidents usually, but not always, survives. Nevertheless, the ramifications for looking away when someone you know or love decides to get behind the wheel after drinking or drug use could be something that haunts you forever.

If you feel anything for this person, do everyone a favor and make the decision to do an intervention. To not get involved, to just go your own way, could be the most deadly decision you’d ever make.

Deterioration of Health with Life-Threatening Results

Watching someone you care about deteriorate before your eyes isn’t a pleasant experience. While you certainly aren’t God and can’t prevent some medical conditions or unforeseen accidents from happening, when the deterioration is due to addiction of one sort or another, what you need to know and remember is that unless the addiction is treated, the individual’s health is only going to worsen over time.

Addiction is a progressive and often fatal disease. It isn’t something that just goes away.

Depending on the addiction, here are some of the potential life-threatening medical conditions that occur over time.

Alcoholism – Excessive drinking can cause potentially serious problems, including:

·        Accidental serious injury or death

·        Certain cancers, including breast cancer, cancers of the mouth, pharynx, larynx, esophagus and liver

·        Cirrhosis of the liver

·        Fetal alcohol syndrome and other health problems in an unborn child

·        Heart muscle damage (alcoholic cardiomyopathy) leading to heart failure

·        High blood pressure

·        Pancreatitis

·        Stroke

·        Sudden death (if the person already has cardiovascular disease)

·        Suicide

Heroin abuse – Long-term use leads to addiction and may also result in the following:

·        Abscesses

·        Arthritis and other rheumatologic problems

·        Bacterial infections

·        Clogging of the blood vessels leading to the kidney, liver, lungs or brain

·        Collapsed veins

·        Infection of heart lining and valves

·        Infectious diseases, such as HIV/AIDS and hepatitis B and C

·        Liver and kidney diseases

·        Lung complications (including pneumonia and tuberculosis)

Meth abuse – Long-term use (sometimes even short-term use) leads to addiction and may also result in the following:

·        High blood pressure

·        Palpitations

·        Rapid breathing

·        Over time, constant fluctuations can cause consistent blood pressure problems, cardiac damage and artery blockage.

·        Rapid increase in heart rate and body temperature leads to risk of sudden stroke or heart attack

·        Spontaneous brain hemorrhages

·        Aneurysm ruptures

·        Enlargement of the heart

·        Compromised immunity

·        Liver damage

·        Lung disease

·        Dental disorders, “meth mouth” conditions of rotting teeth and gum disease

·        Psychosis, including hallucinations, paranoia and mood disturbances

About Staging an Intervention

With the previous list of possible long-term medical consequences as a start (it is by no means complete), it is clear that once a loved one, family member or friend is addicted, he or she needs help of a professional nature. But what, exactly should you do? We’ll take a look.

As already stated, a person who has become addicted is very adept at denying that there’s any kind of a problem. Since they don’t believe that they have a problem, or they have convinced themselves and others that they don’t, they’re not likely to ask for help on their own. That’s where friends, family members, and even co-workers come in. At this point in time, it’s up to you as a group to persuade the individual to get help.

Getting started in staging an intervention is not all that difficult. It just takes some planning and a commitment to see it through. All that an intervention is this: a carefully planned process during which family and friends, teachers, clergy members, or others, including a trained professional interventionist, come together to confront an individual about his or her addiction and ask him or her to accept a treatment plan. If the intervention is directed by a professional interventionist, the arrangements for the addicted individual to go off to treatment have already been arranged. As soon as the person agrees to go into treatment, he or she is escorted to the treatment facility by the interventionist.

Of course, not every intervention involves the use of a professional interventionist. Family members and friends may be able to pull off a successful intervention, but there must be a great deal of research and planning that goes into it before the intervention is undertaken. Remember that a poorly planned and executed intervention will likely not result in your loved one, friend or co-worker agreeing to go into treatment. If you don’t have everything in order, and stand united in your determination that the addict gets treatment, it could result in an even worse situation.

Does this mean that an intervention is too much trouble for you to get involved in? Do you think that it’s better to let the situation remain as it is? That would be a lost opportunity, indeed. Do not put off an intervention because you fear your loved one, family member, friend or co-worker will turn away from you, hate you, or reject you. When confronted about addiction, the addict is very likely to exhibit a range of powerful emotions, from hysteria to anger to denial to threats, tears and walking out the door.

That doesn’t mean that staging an intervention is not worth the trouble. Do your research. Find out where you can get help to arrange an intervention. Be thorough. Be persistent. Find the support you need to get the ball rolling.

One more thing about hiring a professional interventionist: Your goal should be to hire one with a proven record of getting highly resistant individuals into treatment. After all, the addict desperately needs help in order to overcome his or her addiction. Wishing won’t make it so, nor will threats, anger, tears or long silences. Take advantage of this opportunity to get your friend, co-worker, loved one or family member the help he or she needs to get his or her life back in order and on the road to recovery.

But how does an employee stage an addiction intervention for the bigwig in the corner office? Can you say something without putting your job on the line? According to the experts at Promises Treatment Centers in Los Angeles, there are few options for walking this fine line.

Interventions for Bosses

The Direct Appeal

Because of the power dynamics, a casual conversation about a boss’ drug or alcohol problem isn’t typically advisable. But if you care about your boss’ well-being or are concerned about your job or the future of the company, ignoring the problem won’t improve the situation, either.

“If the employee has a solid, long-standing relationship with their boss, a sincere expression of concern and a polite and compassionate appeal for them to get help may make a difference,” says Dr. Greg Skipper, the Director of Professional Health Services at Promises drug treatment center in Los Angeles, who was helped into recovery, in part, by a concerned employee many years ago.

Of course, a direct appeal comes with a certain level of risk, which many employees are reluctant to accept, particularly in a tough economy.

Human Resources

Most companies have policies in place for handling drug or alcohol problems in the workplace, and some have employee assistance programs, built-in support systems designed to help employees address problems that impact their personal and professional lives. Start by speaking with a human resources representative about the procedures in place. Be sure to find out whether complaints are kept confidential.

Professional Assistance Programs

Certain fields have professional assistance programs that accept referrals when a doctor, lawyer or other licensed professional shows signs of drug or alcohol addiction. Many of these programs are able to maintain the anonymity of the individual submitting a report and are highly successful in getting an addicted professional into treatment.

Professional Interventionist

In the absence of an employee or professional assistance program, the employee may enlist the services of a professional interventionist who specializes in interventions for executives. A neutral third party may be able to help you formulate a plan for speaking with your boss or get the appropriate parties involved.

The Boss’ Supervisor

Another possibility is making an honest expression of concern to the boss’ supervisor or another executive. Interventions are often most effective when the person confronting the addicted executive is in a position to use the threat of job loss as leverage to help get them into drug rehab.

“It requires very high management to have that first conversation,” Dr. David Sack, CEO of Promises, told BNET.
As you prepare to discuss your concerns, whether with HR, an assistance program or a supervisor, start a log that documents problematic behaviors, including:

• Frequent absences from work or tardiness
• Complaints from clients or co-workers about missed appointments, lack of preparation, or unreturned emails or phone calls
• Illogical behaviors that may range from overly enthusiastic to hostile
• Requests for cover-ups
• Deteriorating health or hygiene

The log should include the date, place, description of the behavior and names of other people present.
Roughly 75 percent of adults who use illicit drugs are employed. Even though they manage to maintain their employment, bosses who are dependent on drugs or alcohol still need help to recover from addiction. If it isn’t your voice they hear, make sure they hear someone’s.

Doctors, lawyers and other professionals make up a group with unique needs. While they may face hurdles such as denial and stigma, there are also motivating factors that help these individuals into drug rehab and back into their chosen fields.

Greg Skipper, MD, the Director of Professional Health Services at Promises addiction treatment center in Los Angeles, has been conducting successful interventions on professionals for more than 30 years. Drawing from his experience as medical director at some of the nation’s leading drug rehab programs as well as years of service in physician health programs, Dr. Skipper shares some of the most effective strategies for getting an addicted doctor, lawyer or other professional into drug treatment.

Alternatives to the ‘Johnson Model’

Since its development in the 1960s, the Johnson model has become the standard for many addiction interventions. In the Johnson model, the addict is invited to a “surprise” meeting where friends, family and/or co-workers explain how the addict’s drug use has affected them as well as the consequences if they refuse to get help. While the Johnson model is one of the most widely used intervention strategies, it may not be the most effective for addicted professionals, says Dr. Skipper.

“With addicted professionals we have a great tool, which is the leverage of potential job loss,” says Dr. Skipper. “When used subtly and with sensitivity, most professionals will agree to accept help if it means being able to continue their profession.”

In many cases, interventions on impaired professionals begin with a call to a professional assistance program. Once a referral has been made, the program verifies its legitimacy and attempts to get an additional concerned person involved. For doctors, this may be a nurse or the chief of staff at the hospital. For a lawyer, it may be a senior partner or judge.

The professional assistance program then contacts the impaired professional to ask them about their drug or alcohol use and let them know others are concerned. While often done face to face, Dr. Skipper has found that telephone interventions can be just as effective as in-person interventions with the added benefits of being easier logistically and less confrontational.

Overcoming Denial

When Dr. Skipper conducts an intervention for a doctor, lawyer or other professional, his goal is to remain neutral and non-confrontational throughout the process. If the professional denies having a drug or alcohol problem, Dr. Skipper asks them to get a professional evaluation to prove that they are right. If they acknowledge the problem, he explains that together they will put a plan in place to get the addicted professional the help they need and get them back to work as soon as possible.

“I make it clear that I’m here to help and that getting an evaluation is a win-win for protecting their reputation and career,” he says.

In some cases, the professional declines to be evaluated. Although the process is voluntary and confidential at this level, Dr. Skipper advises that it may not be if the problem goes unaddressed. While the concerned individual called a professional assistance program this time, next time they may call the police or licensing board.

By Dr. Skipper’s estimations, as many as 99 percent of these interventions for addicted professionals are successful. Even if the professional needs to think about it for a day or talk to their attorney first, they will usually agree to the evaluation.

Drug Evaluation & Assessment

Once the professional agrees to an evaluation, they are referred to an appropriate drug treatment center. At Promises drug rehabilitation center in Los Angeles, addiction specialists complete a series of exams before providing an opinion about whether the professional has a drug or alcohol problem. The opinion is based on clear and credible criteria, which makes it more difficult for the professional to remain in denial.

If the evaluation confirms a substance abuse problem, the treatment team recommends that the individual take time off and address it. Because they have already spent 2-3 days away from work in a safe, supportive environment, many impaired professionals will agree to stay in drug treatment. Even if they can’t fully acknowledge the scope of their substance abuse problem yet, they may be willing to get help to preserve their career.

“At Promises, we make the evaluation process as efficient and effective as possible,” explains Dr. Skipper. “We want our patients to know that we care about them, to feel respected and valued, and to rest assured that they will be supported through this experience. Once they begin treatment, our job is to guide them through denial and into recovery.”

Addiction Treatment for Professionals

Doctors, lawyers and other professionals have a few unique needs during drug rehab. They typically fare best in counseling with therapists who understand the stresses and demands of professional life, and often thrive with the support of other professionals with similar struggles.

Overall, says Dr. Skipper, professionals need the same basic elements of drug rehab treatment that others need, including:

1. A comprehensive evaluation that is holistic in nature, encompassing not only substance abuse but also co-occurring mental health disorders, other addictions or compulsions, and any other issues affecting mind, body and spirit.
2. Highly individualized, patient-oriented treatment that includes a treatment plan and length of stay based on the individual’s specific needs, rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.
3. Long-term monitoring and support that includes a thorough relapse prevention plan, regular drug testing and a return-to-work contract that outlines the conditions of continued employment.

“At Promises, we know what kind of treatment works and provide it not only to doctors, lawyers and other professionals but anyone struggling with the disease of addiction,” says Dr. Skipper.

This process of intervention, evaluation and treatment, though daunting at first, gives professionals the tools to return to their profession healthier, more stable and better able to do the work they love.

A new study published in the journal Psychology of Addictive Behaviors shows that even a short, minimal intervention could significantly reduce a teen’s use of the drug. Because most high school students report that they have access to marijuana, and nearly a third report smoking it, the technique may be a powerful tool in reducing marijuana use in the United States.

Denise Walker, co-director of the University of Washington’s Innovative Programs Research Group, and colleagues examined the impact of motivational conversations with teenagers to help them reduce marijuana use. While many teens use marijuana without experiencing problems, explains Walker, there are others who use it regularly and are looking for a way to stop.

Walker and co-authors conducted two sessions of Teen Marijuana Check-Up at schools, in which they described myths and facts about marijuana, along with common reasons why teens use marijuana and the risks associated with the behavior.

As part of the presentation, Walker told the students about the study, and students could volunteer privately to become a participant. Walker says that many teens have concerns about marijuana use, even if they are not discussing these concerns with family or peers. The opportunity offered by the study gave the teens a convenient way to think through the pros and cons of drug use in a way that did not shame them for their use.

The presentation was originally given to approximately 7,100 students, of which 619 volunteered for the study and 310 met the criteria for participation. The participants, all high school students in Seattle public schools, attended two one-on-one sessions with health educators.

The students were given one of two types of approaches. One approach was motivational interviewing, which provided the student a session with a health educator. The discussion centered on the student’s marijuana use and how it might be affecting the student’s life. The health educator also shared with the student about social norms of how much others use marijuana.

The second approach featured a PowerPoint presentation which described current marijuana research, and the health and psychological effects of marijuana use.

The students who were given motivational interviewing decreased marijuana use by 20 percent, from using marijuana 40 out of the previous 60 days to using it only 32 out of 60 days. Those who observed the PowerPoint presentation had slower progress, reporting an 8 percent decrease in marijuana use.

The results of the study support the benefit of even short, minimal education and intervention plans to help reduce marijuana use among teens.

The list can really go on and on, because pulling the trigger on an intervention is a scary proposition. Most people procrastinate when it comes to confronting someone they love who has an addiction.

From the outside this can be baffling. Friends who are more detached from the situation may be whispering, “Why don’t they get him some help?!”

From the inside there are many reasons people delay treatment, not least of which is the fact that the addict is an expert manipulator and has likely found ways to cow relatives into ignoring their addiction.

The answer to the question is, the best time to do an intervention is when you recognize an intervention is necessary. Otherwise, you are sure to talk yourself out of it. You will make excuses for the addict. They aren’t that bad. If they get that new job they will be happier and stop drinking so much. When that bad influence moves out of town they’ll stop using cocaine. When they break up with that pothead girlfriend they’ll slow down and see the light.

Forget all the reason you should postpone the intervention, and focus on the reasons you should do it now. Here are some compelling reasons that NOW is the best time to do an intervention:

- Addiction gets worse, not better, over time. The addict might try to white-knuckle short periods of sobriety, but when they start up again, it’s usually much worse
- If you think the impact is bad now, wait a year or two or three. DUIs can start piling up; job losses; divorce; financial losses; and deterioration of physical health will all start to be more and more compelling. Why wait until more damage is done?
- There is a point when the “bottom” may be too low, may even be death. Do you want to risk that one time they combine too many sleeping pills, anti-anxiety drugs, and pain killers with alcohol?
- If you have children and the addict is the other parent, are you really doing your family any favors by putting off the inevitable? The negative impact on children of having an actively using addict as a parent is well-documented in the literature.

This can be a confusing time. Your loved one may be very intimidating when under the influence. You might feel like you just can’t face them. This is why hiring a highly experienced interventionist can be the answer.