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.

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.

In California, a nonprofit organization called the Mental Health Association in Santa Barbara County is now providing a public educational program, “Mental Health First Aid,” which includes an interactive 12-hour course on how to identify mental health risk factors and warning signs of substance abuse problems in others, and how to respond to these situations through management of treatment options. The new public program is funded by the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA). The MHSA, otherwise known as California Proposition 63, gained passage in 2004 and supports the state’s Department of Mental Health with funding, staff, training, and resources for county mental health programs. The groundbreaking initiative was the first in several years to commence progress monitoring of county children, at-risk adolescents, adults, seniors, and families that are treated through the Department’s prevention and intervention services. With the new “Mental Health First Aid” program, the Mental Health Association in Santa Barbara County will begin training participants on a 5-step action plan to effectively help those in need of mental health outreach.

The Mental Health Association in Santa Barbara County is staffed by certified trainers in mental health first aid who then teach members of the public—including individuals from nonprofit organizations, the public sector, and local businesses—the knowledge to recognize a mental health crisis, the necessary skills needed to intervene, and awareness of appropriate treatment resources like professional help, social groups, and self-help options. As a part of their training, participants are actually run through practice scenarios of mental health crises so that they have the chance to test their intervention skills and understand how to adapt their techniques to real-life situations, whether it be a mental health intervention, drug intervention, or alcohol intervention. Once a participant has successfully completed the training program, he or she will become certified as a Mental Health First Aider and considered prepared to handle mental health crises in their communities. Their certified training ensures that these individuals are prepared to intervene during life-threatening scenarios like overdose from substance use, suicide attempts, or emotional breakdowns and panic attacks, and potentially save the life of a person in serious need.

Usually, someone experiencing a mental health crisis is treated by clinical physicians, police officers, or other emergency personnel; but there are times when these professionals are not the first on the scene of the incident. By learning how to properly respond to these events, any member of the community can become a certified Mental Health First Aider and assist someone with their mental health problem until professional emergency personnel arrive. Not only does the Mental Health First Aid program teach community members how to support one another and save lives, but it also spreads awareness of the prevalence of mental health issues and helps reduces stigmas that surround mental conditions and substance abuse disorders. Instead of turning away from someone with a mental health crisis, everyday citizens are taught to give a helping hand. According to the Mental Health Association in Santa Barbara County, participants of their training program actually gain a sense of self-worth and knowledge as they become more aware of mental illness and their community’s available mental health resources.

To find out more about the Mental Health First Aid training program, visit the Mental Health Association in Santa Barbara’s website at www.mhainsb.org or call (805) 884-8440.

Intervention is Not a Dirty Word

Despite the negative connotation many people associate with the word, intervention is a proactive and positive step that family members, friends, and others can take to help someone whose substance abuse or other addictive behavior has totally destroyed – or is in the process of destroying – their life. So, before going any further, start by thinking about intervention as one of the best approaches you can possibly take to assist your loved one or friend to get help to overcome his or her addiction.

What Intervention Really Is

Part of the reason that people are skeptical or fear intervention is that they don’t know what it is or how it works. In essence, intervention is a process to help convince the addict that now is the time to accept and go to treatment. Intervention can be considered the first step in the drug, alcohol, or other addictive behavior rehabilitation process. That’s it in a nutshell.
Can anyone perform an intervention? While concerned family members and friends may think they can do the intervention on their own, the personal connection, emotions, and circumstances may make it impossible to carry out. Unable to separate themselves from the pain and resistance of the addict, they may cave in and allow the addict to go one with his or her life as it is. This only sets back the prospect of getting treatment. It also solidifies the manipulative power the addict holds over the family and friends. And addicts are extremely adept at manipulation. It isn’t that they want to hurt those who love them, but they are incapable of rational thinking due to the fact that they are bound to their addiction.

For this reason, intervention is best conducted by a qualified, trained professional called an interventionist. This individual is highly skilled in overcoming the barriers addicts have to getting treatment. They can often get through to the addict when no one else can, helping them to realize exactly where they stand in terms of their addiction, and showing them there is a path out of addiction – if they’re willing to accept that they are addicted and go to treatment.

Why is an interventionist so critical in conducting an effective intervention? Think of it as experience versus simply wanting things to get better. In addition, being an outsider, the interventionist is not emotionally caught up in the drama that surrounds the addict’s life. The interventionist has years of experience in being able to judge addicts’ psychological and physical conditions. They know how to deal with resistance and denial and objections – and the physical cravings and urges that are pulling at the addict – and help the addict get to the point where he or she is willing to consider going to treatment.

Intervention Goals

While the primary goal of an intervention is to get the addict to accept and go into treatment, there are other goals of effective intervention. These include:

• Creating a plan where the family can become empowered through education on all aspects of addiction and enabling.
 

• Working to remove any enabling factors that contribute to or allow the addiction to continue.

• Creating a solid team (family and friends) that work together to support and encourage the addict – rather than work separately and often at odds with each other.

• Setting healthy boundaries for family and friends so that they are no longer negatively affected by the addiction of their loved one.

• Work on changing the family dynamics so that they are more effectively able to handle the addiction and increase the willingness of the addict to accept treatment.

• Learning effective tools to not only get the addict into treatment, but to also encourage and support the addict to remain in treatment, and to focus on the recovery of the addict once he or she returns home.

The overarching goal of intervention, then, is to do more than just get the addict to go into treatment. It involves eliciting the commitment from the addict to stick with treatment so that they are better able to learn and apply the fundamentals of recovery, to change family dynamics, and to show the addict that recovery is possible – if they want it and are willing to go through the hard work to apply the principles of recovery upon their return home.

Interventionist Qualifications

At a minimum, the interventionist you choose should have certification as a chemical dependency counselor. However, leading interventionists often go the extra mile to become a board-registered interventionist (BRI-I and BRI-II levels). In addition, you might look for degrees in addiction counseling, psychology, social work, or theology. Some interventionists may also have been employed in other professions within the treatment field, including work as directors, case managers, or substance abuse counselors at drug and alcohol treatment facilities. With experience helping hundreds or thousands of addicts into recovery, qualified professional interventionists know what it’s like to be addicted. Many of them were once addicted themselves, and an interventionist helped them realize that treatment was their best option to healing.

Do Interventions Always Work?
It is important to note, however, that while interventions are very often effective in getting an individual to accept and immediately go into treatment, they don’t always work. Sometimes an individual is too resistant to the idea, or only agrees to go out of coercion, but leaves treatment very quickly. Some are so addicted to multiple substances (alcohol, drugs, gambling, compulsive sex, and other addictive behaviors) that they cannot get past the cravings and urges. They may be so damaged physically and psychologically by their addiction that they cannot go through with getting treatment at this time.
Sometimes forced hospitalization is required to deal with life-threatening conditions caused by an addiction. In fact, some families may consider intervention after a series of hospitalizations for overdose, seizures, heart conditions, organ damage or failure, or other mental or psychological conditions attributed to, or aggravated by, the loved one’s addiction.
You shouldn’t look at the possibility that intervention may not work as a reason to not use the process to help your loved one. What you need to remember is that without treatment, addiction is a progressive – and can be fatal – disease.
Would you ignore the symptoms of diabetes or cancer in a loved one and refuse to get treatment? No, of course you wouldn’t. Addiction treatment is just as important and critical. Simply put, an addict cannot go into recovery without help. For many, this involves getting treatment.
Duration and Cost of an Intervention
The intervention is a 2- to 3-day process. The first day is devoted to the family meeting (also including close friends, co-workers and other job-related associates as appropriate) where the interventionist goes over the process of the intervention, and everyone practices what he or she will say during the intervention. Many individuals write down their statements, so that they can read it aloud during the intervention. Having it in front of them on paper helps them get through what can be a very emotional and difficult time – especially if the addict becomes confrontational, demanding, and resistant (which often occurs). Remember, it’s not the addict talking, it’s the addiction.
The second day is the day of the actual intervention. A site is chosen that’s convenient to everyone, and it may involve using a rented space such as a hotel meeting room. The addict is brought to the intervention, or goes to a location by invitation (thinking it’s for some other type of meeting or appointment), and the intervention begins. Upon entering the room, the addict sees the assembled group of family members, friends, and others, as well as the interventionist. The interventionist greets the addict, introduces himself or herself, and the intervention begins.
The intervention process lasts as long as it takes for the addict to accept treatment. This may be a couple of hours or less, or it may take longer. For some addicts who outright refuse to consider the idea of treatment, it may be over rather quickly. There is no general timetable that applies on all situations.
As for the cost of an intervention, a quick check on prices available over the Internet shows that the range is between $3,000 and $10,000. Before choosing an interventionist, however, be sure to check all the credentials of the interventionist and the organization he or she works for or who recommends the interventionist. Look for hidden charges – there shouldn’t be any. What costs are involved? There’s the cost of the intervention itself, which should be spelled out in any contract, as well as additional costs for flight, hotel room, meeting room, and air fare and/or rental car, if required. Make sure air fare isn’t first class and that hotel accommodations are reasonable – not five-star properties (unless this is what the family requires and requests). Food costs should not be included in the cost of the intervention.
What Happens After the Intervention?
Once the addict agrees to go into treatment, he or she is immediately taken to the treatment facility. Everything has been prearranged and there is no delay accepted – no going tomorrow or next week or I’ll think about it excuses are tolerated by the interventionist. Either the addict goes into treatment – accompanied by the interventionist right into the admissions center at the treatment facility – or the addict continues in addiction.
How Does the Treatment Process Work?
After the addict gets to the treatment facility and is admitted, usually the next step involves detoxification. This is the period of time required to rid their bodies of the addictive substance. Detoxification may be as short as 1 to 2 days or as long as 2 weeks, depending on many factors: type of addictive substance or substances, length of time addicted, frequency and dose of the substance, genetic factors, family and medical history, past treatments, number of relapses, and others. While detoxification may not be pleasant, it is medically supervised to ensure the patient’s safety and provide as much comfort and relief from withdrawal symptoms as possible. The fact is that addicts have to get clean before they can proceed to the next step of the rehabilitation process.
After detoxification, the patient begins the active phase of treatment. The overall treatment plan is tailored to each patient’s situation, based on needs and requirements. There is no single treatment plan that works for everyone. Generally speaking, treatment consists of a multidisciplinary approach using numerous treatment modalities or techniques. After an intervention, the addict is usually taken to a residential treatment facility. This is to ensure that the person receives complete supervision and has access to all the required services in the same facility – or contracted by the facility.
Some of the treatment approaches include individual and group counseling, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or other motivational enhancement training (MET), 12-step group meeting participation, educational lectures and discussions. Sometimes alternative approaches are also utilized such as hypnosis, meditation, or yoga. Certain individuals may be prescribed medication to help reduce or eliminate cravings and urges so that they can get to a point where they can concentrate on learning about their addiction and develop coping mechanisms to deal with them. Medication may also be prescribed to help combat anxiety, depression and/or suicidal thoughts.
The length of treatment also varies. Some addictions, especially polysubstance and co-occurring disorders (substance abuse and mental health disorder), require longer treatment stays than others. Individuals that leave treatment against the facility’s recommendations usually relapse very quickly.
After Treatment – What Then?
During the final stages of active treatment, the addict usually creates a recovery plan, working with his or her therapist or counselor. This is a kind of action plan for how the addict will deal with cravings and urges when they’re back in their community, what first steps he or she will take to resume normal life, reintegration back into the family, going back to work, and so on.
Many treatment plans include aftercare or continuing care counseling. This is considered extremely important for those in recovery, since the first 6 to 9 months post-treatment are the most critical. Whether it is professional counseling alone or in combination with continued 12-step group participation, the fact is that individuals in recovery need a solid support network. Without ongoing support, relapse is much more likely.
Family members and friends of the individual in recovery play an integral role in this support network. Ideally, while the addict was in treatment, family members received some form of family therapy. This is considered key to changing the home environment and behaviors that may have been contributing factors to the addiction – enabling the addict to continue for so long. Following completion of treatment, the addict’s family members can best help by joining and participating in the family component groups of 12-step organizations. For Alcoholics Anonymous, the family group is Al-Anon/Alateen. For Narcotics Anonymous, it’s Nar-Anon. For Gamblers Anonymous, it’s Gam-Anon. Nearly every 12-step group has a family component. A little research (go to the 12-step organization’s main website and search for family groups) will likely pay off. There are also non-12-step groups that offer family counseling.
Making the Decision
In the end, it’s often up to family members to take the difficult step to choose intervention as the best way to get their addicted loved one into treatment. Either the addict cannot, or will not, go into treatment on their own. Do not expect that the intervention will be easy. It usually is emotionally draining for all concerned. But the outlook for the addict without treatment – as well as family members – is a continued downward spiral. Surely the short-term discomfort is worth the long-term recovery of your loved one.
If you have exhausted all other efforts to get your loved one into treatment, maybe now is the time to consider intervention. It may be the only approach that will work to save the life of your loved one.
 

Addiction and unstable behavior portrayed in such television shows such as TMZ, The Anna Nicole Smith Show, and Access Hollywood exploit celebrities’ erratic and unhealthy behaviors, leaving nothing private while boosting television ratings and simultaneously encouraging these celebrities’ popularity. Other shows like Obsessed, Intervention, and Celebrity Rehab attempt to deflate the celebutante sensationalism of such serious behavioral issues among celebrities and regular citizens alike by showing viewers the gravity of damage done to addicts’ personal, familial, and occupational identities. All these mediums make addiction and rehabilitation a familiar, more open topic among Americans, but it still may underscore the importance of dealing with addiction treatment properly.

More than 23 million Americans are believed to have an addiction disorder, yet only 10 percent of those receive treatment. Inspired by media examples, many people believe they can handle intervention on their own. Without proper research and preparation, intervention efforts for a friend or family member may be futile. Physicians and interventionists recommend against simply talking about a problem with a loved one, which does not constitute an intervention at all. Words alone may be dismissed in passing since most addicts will respond with denial or anger. Also, including friends or family members in an intervention who may bring negativity to the meeting—such as angry family members, abusive partners, or friends with addiction problems themselves—can affect the addict’s willingness to participate.

Addiction is not an individual disease, and family members and associates often allow the disease to progress through enabling. Family and friends may deny the truth in an effort to avoid confrontation or offending the individual. However, early intervention is the most effective method for achieving successful recovery. It is not necessary to wait for the addict to hit “rock bottom” and lose everything before intervening. It is also necessary for family members to help during addiction treatment therapy and by aiding positive changes to the individual’s lifestyle, aftercare, and potential relapse therapy.

A professional interventionist can help the family make proper preparations for an intervention, such as referring the family to an appropriate treatment program (like Alanon or Alateen), the right rehabilitation center for the addict, and procedures to take when conducting the actual intervention. An intervention requires weeks of planning in advance and should never be performed spontaneously. An interventionist can help the family make the right choices and prepare for both positive and negative reactions from the addict. Sometimes an elaborately planned approach is best where the interventionist and family transport the individual to treatment right away, while other times giving the addict the opportunity to implement some self-control is more suitable. The addict may not agree to treatment right away, but patience will pay off if the family remains strong, firm, and sincere. The coordination of an interventionist is also valuable if an addict with a serious behavioral disorder reacts poorly to the intervention. Appropriately managing behavioral health requires the collective effort of the entire family and is effectively guided by a trained, experienced interventionist.

The concept of intervention is not new, despite its dramatic upheaval in conventional media. Addiction treatment has been taking place for centuries, but became more formalized around the time of Jung and Freud. Treatment programs became more accessible with the introduction of Alcoholics Anonymous in 1937, and coordinated intervention methods became more established by the Johnson Institute in 1966. Today, intervention and rehabilitation are considered essential to mental and behavioral health, and physicians are now trained to deal with addiction treatment or intervention at some level.

Addiction can affect anyone, regardless of age, gender, race, or religion, and intervention should be considered for any person suffering from addiction to restore his or her emotional and physical health. Furthermore, addiction involves any substance from alcohol to street drugs to prescription medications or behaviors like gambling or sex. Intervention and rehabilitation can effectively treat any addiction disorder before, during, and after treatment. It is most important to continue progress after rehabilitation through the support of loved ones, professional counseling and/or support groups, and an encouraging home environment.

As difficult as dealing with an addiction can be, realistically obtaining proper addiction treatment can be a financial obstacle for many families. Some families may not have health insurance to help cover the costs for an interventionist, rehabilitation, and aftercare counseling. Some insurance plans do not fully cover addiction recovery treatments, particularly an intervention. Choosing to conduct an intervention may not even seem financially feasible for certain families. Families who are ready to intervene should expect to perform extensive research on the right intervention program which involves “interventionist shopping.” Interventionists can cost anywhere from $800 to $25,000, depending on how extensive their involvement is in the recovery process. Interventionists may assist families for hours on end or over a period of several months. Again, the earlier the intervention, the easier the addiction recovery process, the more likely the individual will have a successful recovery, and the more financially viable the costs. Waiting to treat addiction further ignores the severity of the individual’s and the family’s safety and health.

An interventionist should either be a psychologist, a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW), a CADC (Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor), or a CASAC (Certified Alcohol and Substance Abuse Counselor). Be aware of your interventionist’s background, experience, and success rate. Websites such as AddictionResourceGuide.com or AssociationOfInterventionSpecialists.org provide great resources to help loved ones choose successful interventionists and appropriate treatment methods for their family situation.

The strange person welcomes you, invites you to sit down. You’re not liking this whole scenario one bit, but you sit anyway. There’s a kind of eerie calm in the room, except for your own jitters and uneasiness. Your mom, dad, brothers and sisters, your fishing buddy, the guy you work next to and your boss (god, your boss!) all have pads of paper or a folded letter in their laps. Some smile, a little anxiously, it seems to you. Your mom looks like she’s been crying. Your dad just looks stoic, like he’s having a tooth pulled. Whatever this is, it must be something really bad.

You want to get out of the room already, and all you’ve heard so far is the welcome by the stranger. What you really want, though, is a drink, a smoke, to do a line – to escape. You’re half out of your chair when the stranger introduces himself or herself and says they’re an interventionist. The purpose of this meeting is to encourage you to get help with your addiction. Everyone here wants to support you through the decision to go into treatment…

Oh, no, you’re not buying this. No way. You stand up, balling your fists. You’re in firm denial mode. “I don’t have a problem. I
can quit anytime. I don’t need any help. I want you all to leave.”

But the stranger continues in an even, reassuring tone, saying that these are the people who love you and care about you. All they want is the best for you. They have something they’d like to say to you. Will you at least listen? Give them a chance to express what’s on their minds? That couldn’t hurt, could it?

No, you admit. You’ll listen, but you’re not going into treatment, period.

One by one, they start to read what’s written on their pieces of paper. Some of it’s pretty tough to hear and it tears your guts out. But you listen. Some of those gathered can’t contain themselves and break down sobbing, your mom among them. You can’t stand seeing her cry, but you hold yourself back from saying or doing anything. In fact, you feel as if you’re frozen. Maybe if they just get it over with, you can breathe. Once they’re done, they can all leave and you’ll be fine. You can almost taste the drink. You need the drink. It’s only a matter of time, now, since the last one is picking up their letter. But it’s your boss. He looks at you before he starts to read, and you feel a sinking in the pit of your gut that this time there might just be some serious consequences for your actions.

When he finishes, there’s dead silence in the room. Except for the throbbing in your own head that sounds like a drum beating. Now, what? The interventionist starts talking again, asking you if you heard what these people had to say. You nod, not saying anything. Then the statement comes: “We’re here to offer you a chance to start over. Beginning today, you can start your new life. Are you willing to take it?”

Now you do get up. You scream, maybe a few obscenities, maybe not, on account of your mom. You stride out of the room and go into the kitchen, looking for your bottle. Your dad comes after you. “Now, son, please come back into the living room. We’re not here to fight you. We love you. Will you please come back in?” After a few minutes, during which he won’t allow you to grab the bottle, you decide you’ll rejoin the group. “But I’m not going to any rehab!”

Back with the others, there’s more talk from the family members and friends, yada, yada, yada. Same as before. Why don’t they stop already? What seems like an eternity has only been about 45 minutes. Clearly nobody has any intention of leaving. You argue and promise you’ll quit on your own, that you don’t need to go someplace to have a bunch of strangers in your business.

“That hasn’t worked before, has it?” the interventionist asks. “How many times have you told yourself that?”

Got a point there. Still, you argue how you can’t afford to take the time off work. Oops, shouldn’t have said that. You remember how your boss said your work performance had suffered and how he wouldn’t tolerate it anymore unless you got help. Can’t afford it, you mumble. The interventionist chimes in that everything’s been taken care of. You don’t even hear half of what’s said next, something about insurance, sliding pay scale, scholarship or financial aid. The point is that it’s covered, more or less.
You run out of arguments. You’re suddenly very tired, wanting all this to go away like a bad dream. This isn’t anything you asked for, nothing you’d ever do on your own. Finally, with a voice that seems like it creeps up out of your shoes, you say you’ll do it.

You mom and dad clasp each other’s hand and then everybody jumps up and races toward you, shaking your hand, giving you a hug. All this fuss!

You didn’t want the intervention, but you got it anyway. In no time flat, you’re in a car being whisked away to a treatment center.
Everybody stands at the curb to wave good-bye. Now, it’s just you and the interventionist alone in the car with the driver. You may go over a few of the things that are going to happen next with the interventionist, but mostly you just sit alone with your thoughts. Most of those thoughts involve how and when you can get your next drink, smoke or fix.

What are your choices now that the intervention is over?

What You Do Next Decides Your Future

The above scenario may or may not fit your particular situation – or that of a loved one you’re planning to do an intervention for –
but it is fairly typical. A person doesn’t have to want to go into treatment for it to be effective – although that’s the optimal mindset going into rehab. Sometimes it takes the combined encouragement and support of people who love and care about you to get you to do what you’d never do on your own. It just happened to be through an intervention. It doesn’t matter, therefore, if you agree with their motives or like what’s about to happen. It does matter what you do next. Here are several outcomes:

• Accept the help – Recognize that you do need help and take advantage of it. Go into detox and get clean, then move on to the treatment phase. You will learn the underlying reasons why you first started drinking and/or using drugs, typical stresses and triggers that precipitate drinking and using, coping skills and techniques to help you steer clear of the triggers that cause you to drink and/or do drugs. Through behavior modification and other innovative treatment protocols, you will be able to restructure your behavior to enable you to live free of alcohol and drugs. You do need to stick with the program all the way through, though, to give yourself a fighting chance at a successful recovery.

• Just try it for a while – You might tell yourself that you’ll go along with the deal for a little bit, but you’re not totally invested in sticking around for however long they think you’ll be there. In fact, you’re already making plans to get out of the center as soon as it looks like you can leave.

• Detox only – You’ve wanted to kick the booze, pills and drugs for a while. This is a good way to do a whole body cleanse. After all, everything’s being taken care of for you. No fuss, no muss is the way you look at it. Once you’re clean, you’re out of there. Forget treatment, don’t need it. You can take care of yourself. You’ve done okay all this time, haven’t you?

Of the three outcomes, which one do you think will be the most successful at allowing you to remain clean and sober? Did you know that 80 percent of those who only complete detox but fail to go on to treatment suffer a relapse? And, if you don’t even give detox a chance, what do you think the odds are for abstinence. You guessed it: practically zero.

When your loved ones invest the time and effort, obviously painful for all, to stage an intervention, it’s because they sincerely want you to make a clean sweep, to get your life back on track, to experience real love and happiness – maybe for the first time in many months or years or ever. Give yourself the gift of hope. Accept the treatment. Stick with it. Envision a future that has no limits to what you can achieve. It’s all out there waiting for you. Go for it.

Singer Janet Jackson reportedly tried to stage an intervention for her brother Michael in 2007, two sources close to the Jackson family told CNN. Britney Spears’ family intervened in 2008 through the court after a judge in her custody case cited her for “habitual, frequent, and continuous use of controlled substances and alcohol.” Her father, Jamie Spears, was granted temporary conservatorship over her.

An article in CNN suggests several ways to intervene, noting that interventions can take many forms. Experts say that simply suggesting that a drug addict make an appointment for professional help may work.

Patrick Hart, an intervention specialist in Seattle, Washington, said that speaking openly in a compassionate tone and without judgment is an effective way to approach an intervention. He said that the addiction or other problem should be viewed as an illness that deserves professional care.

“Do not expect an addicted loved one to simply stop within their own right,” Hart said. “Offer specified help.”

Another form of intervention is a more formal, direct approach involving family members and close friends. It’s best to hire a professional interventionist for these meetings. Before the meeting, the interventionist meets with family members and friends to get a history of what has happened.

Loved ones will often explain in writing that they are involved in the intervention because they love the addict, and then detail the ways the addict’s behavior has hurt them or concerned them. For example, if the person is married, his or her spouse may not permit him or her back into the home. If the person is living with family, the relatives may warn that he or she won’t be welcome back.

Before the intervention, the interventionist will help the family create specific consequences if the addict does not agree to go into treatment, and the interventionist will talk with the family about the possibility of the addict running away.

Dr. Bankole Johnson, chairman of psychiatric medicine at the University of Virginia, said it’s best to treat the addiction as a medical problem and stress the physical consequences of it. According to him, simply telling a person that he or she has a problem with alcohol or drugs is often not as effective as saying, “You seem to be having difficulties with your sleeping, or you seem to be having difficulties with your breathing.”

In most states, treatment for addiction cannot be forced by family members of friends—that’s where the legal system comes in. However, it is very difficult to prove in court that a person is not able to manage his or her life because of an addiction.

Different states have different laws, but a conservatorship—when someone takes legal charge of another person’s decisions—is only granted if a person is a threat to other people or to themselves, Johnson said. Generally, he said, the person has to commit a crime such as driving while intoxicated before the legal system gets involved in ordering treatment.

But sometimes the very threat of police intervention is enough to prompt an addict to treatment, said Dr. Marvin Seppala, chief medical officer at Hazelden Foundation.

Experts stressed that family members and friends should not wait until the person they’re concerned about “hits rock bottom” before attempting to get help from a professional.

“Very rarely does someone wake up in the morning and say, ‘I want to change,’” said Mike Loverde, who was addicted to prescription painkillers eight years ago and now is the director of program services at the Intervention Services Inc. branch outside Chicago.

1.) Hire a professional interventionist. Evidence shows that a successful intervention should be directed by an intervention specialist who has been trained in drug abuse intervention techniques and has a track record of intervention success.

2.) Base the intervention around a “happening” in the life of your loved one. This could be an instance when he or she was caught stealing something or lying, a big fight regarding substance abuse with family members, or perhaps if he or she was arrested for driving under the influence. Evidence shows that immediately following events like these, the individual is usually more willing to admit needing help.

3.) Make sure your loved one is not using during the intervention. If possible, choose a time and place where you are certain he or she cannot obtain drugs or alcohol. If there are any signs of recent drug or alcohol use, you may need to reschedule the intervention.

4.) Be extremely patient. Your loved one will most likely yell, scream, argue, and deny everything that’s being said during the intervention. Remain patient and know that the interventionist will handle any conflicts that arise.

Studies show an intervention success rate of 90 to 95 percent, but this depends on the interventionist and the commitment of family and friends to confront the addict.

You may experience resentment from your loved one after the intervention, even if he or she agrees to enter into treatment. If this happens, try to remain positive and keep thinking of the ultimate goal: your loved one’s recovery.

Also keep in mind that an intervention is only the first step in your loved one’s recovery, as he or she must now go through detox and therapy and change their lives in order to remain sober.

It’s imperative for you and other close friends and family members to attend support group meetings and group therapy with your loved one. Family counseling and support groups such as Al-Anon can help keep you strong while your loved one starts his or her journey to recovery.

The good news is: an intervention will help bring about change. How much change occurs will depend on a number of factors.

What Is An Intervention?

Simply put, an intervention for alcohol and substance abuse is a gathering of a professional interventionist and concerned family and friends who are committed to confronting an individual whose addictive lifestyle is wreaking havoc on him and those who love him. There are simple interventions, conducted by family alone, crisis interventions, classical and family systems interventions.

In the cases of alcoholism, the classical intervention has been proven successful over the past 30 years and is the most widely used. Of course, variations occur, and the methods are a bit different depending on the interventionist and the treatment facility. The goal of the intervention is to get the addict into treatment – and soon.

How Do You Arrange For An Intervention?

Concerned family members usually contact an alcohol and drug treatment center. They answer questions posed by the staff and a clinical assessment is made whether or not an intervention is necessary. If it is, you are referred to an interventionist who will handle the intervention. Since the goal is to get the addict into treatment, during the meeting with the treatment center, all these arrangements can be made ahead of time, including insurance, so that at the conclusion of the intervention, if the addict is willing to accept treatment, he can be immediately transported to the treatment facility.

What Happens Next?

The interventionist will meet with the concerned family members, probably several times. There will be discussion of what you need to do, and a schedule prepared. You will need to arrange for the gathering of family, friends, possibly clergy, even co-workers, to participate in the intervention itself.

You need to be organized and you need a plan. This is the goal of your pre-meeting with the interventionist. Each participant in the intervention will be required to discuss how the addict has impacted their lives. They will be asked to document this impact on paper. This will be read during the intervention. The interventionist then discusses the plan and what each participant needs to do and to expect during the intervention.

The individual statements are rehearsed at the pre-meeting. It’s important that everyone acts as a team, firm in their commitment to help the addict.

Intervention Day: What Happens

You meet at a pre-determined location for about an hour or so – just long enough to get through the agenda and hopefully achieve the goal: having the addict agree to go into treatment.

According to the plan the interventionist has created, each participant reads their statement in succession. The addict may yell, scream, deny everything and argue vehemently. This is to be expected. After all, you are threatening their addictive existence, and they are naturally going to be upset about that.

Any conflicts that arise, the interventionist will handle. That’s what he is trained to do.

You do need to be extremely patient. It isn’t the addict’s fault that they are reacting this way. While they are under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs, they are not able to think rationally. They don’t see the destruction their way of life has wreaked on relationships with family and friends. They can’t. But the intervention is a way to break through this wall of denial. In fact, the interventionist is trained to chip away at the addict’s resistance.

If the addict is willing to accept treatment, and the arrangements have already been made, the individual is then transported immediately to the treatment center.

The interventionist reports to the treatment center the results of the intervention. This gives the treatment facility a head-start on the patient’s personalized treatment program.

Will Intervention Be Enough?

Intervention, by itself, is only the first step in the recovery process. The substance abuser needs to come out of denial and make a commitment to get help. The fact that you’ve arranged for an intervention for your loved one is a testament of how much you care for him.

Studies show an intervention success rate of 90 to 95 percent for drug and alcohol addiction – but this is dependent on the interventionist and the commitment of family and friends to confront the addict.

Remember that the addict isn’t the only one who’s affected. Even after the individual undergoes treatment, follow-up counseling and support group meetings are required. In addition, family counseling, and continued support for the family through support groups such as Al-Anon, even church-affiliated support groups, can help reinforce positive messages and alleviate stress along the way.

It can be hard to approach an addict about their problem. They can get defensive, refuse to talk about it, or even completely deny their addiction. Behavioral scientists have created the intervention process as way for loved ones to bind together to confront an addict. In some extreme cases, an intervention is more for the family than for the addict. The family needs to feel that they have done everything that they can for the addict.

The first several intervention meetings are between concerned family, friends, and the psychologist who will be overseeing the intervention. The psychologist will make a profile of the addict and the family. She will also council the family on the reasons for some of the addict’s behaviors. She will give the family tips on dealing with the addict, and recommend treatment paths. The psychologist will ask them to write a letter to the addict. On the day of the intervention, everyone will read their letter aloud, to the addict.

The intervention letters cover four ordered points. The first step is to tell the addict how much the family cares for them and why they are loved. The letters go on to talk about how substance abuse has changed the addict. Then the family is asked to share their feelings on the behavior of the addict. As a final point, the letter demands that the addict commit to rehabilitation. Family members must give the addict an ultimatum, a ‘go to rehab or else…”. The ultimatum is often the hardest part for the addicts’ families, who are accustomed to offering unconditional support.

The day of the intervention will be scary for both the addict and the family. Intervention plans have to be unknown to the addict, if they knew they simply wouldn’t come. For the addict, the intervention is a horrible surprise party, one that nobody wants thrown for them. There is no way to predict how an addict will react to their intervention. If they are a flight risk the psychologist may place herself between the addict and the exit. The addict is still free to leave, and they might. They may continue to deny their problems. Many break down and decide to go to rehabilitation.

The psychologist will have an intake nurse in a room near where the intervention is held. The nurse will be ready if the addict agrees to take a drug test and/or go into treatment. Patients with severe problems will be taken directly from the intervention to an inpatient center. Other addicts may be referred to outpatient services.

The psychologist who oversees the intervention will have at least two more meetings with the family and (hopefully) the addict. These meeting will follow up, and ensure that family members are holding to their ultimatums.

Addiction can be devastating to both the addict and their friends and family. If you have a friend or family member who is an addict, they might be able to benefit from an intervention. You should contact an intervention specialist in your area. Most of the time, intervention meetings can go on the insurance of any participating family member. Intervention meetings are billed as psychological counseling. There are also ways to receive intervention and addiction services for free. You should call your local office of mental health, addiction, or social services. They should be able to steer you in the right direction.