Addiction Intervention
Could an Intervention Save Your Family from Financial Ruin?
By Millie Anne Cavanaugh, Esq.
Given that use of alcohol or drugs can impair the parts of the brain responsible for rational thought, it is no surprise that some people suffering from alcoholism or drug addiction cannot recognize when the time has come to seek treatment. As such, it is typically up to family and friends to identify the need for drug or alcohol rehab and take the steps necessary to make it happen. However, since alcoholics or drug addicts are still legally permitted to make health care decisions for themselves, a patient’s unwillingness to engage in the treatment process can quickly thwart even the most well intentioned loved ones. Full Story
Study of Gambling Behavior Could Help Researchers Understand How People Make Choices
A specific area of the brain may be responsible for a gambler’s activities and decisions, and could help researchers understand why people make decisions in other areas of their lives. Full Story
Five Reasons Not to Try an Addiction Intervention without a Professional
Many people watch shows such as A&Es Intervention and think, “I could do that.” They may not realize just how little of the process they are seeing. TV lends itself to 1-hour stories that are easily wrapped up, with a neatly structured beginning, middle, and end. However, real life does not work that way. An intervention is a highly charged experience that can turn into a disaster if you do not have a qualified specialist to help guide you and steer you clear of landmines and cliffs.
Common Approaches to Drug and Alcohol Intervention
When we think of the word “intervention,” we typically picture a group of friends and family confronting a drug addict or alcoholic in a familiar setting. This type of intervention is known by those in the recovery industry as the “living room ambush,” or the Johnson method. Named for Vernon E. Johnson, an Episcopal priest and author of “I’ll Quit Tomorrow,” it is intended to save the addict from hitting rock bottom by having family and friends try to break through the person’s denial with the help of a professional interventionist.
New Guidelines Issued for Identifying Alcohol Abuse
When an individual comes in to the hospital or to their doctor’s office, it is a prime opportunity for health care providers to assess multiple areas of physical and mental health. It may be possible to determine whether the patient may need attention for ailments other than the ones being currently treated.
The Timing of Alcohol or Drug Intervention Is Critical
Hiring an interventionist to help convince a loved one that she needs to enter treatment for alcoholism or drug addiction can be expensive; the intervention itself can be time-consuming and emotional. The consequences of a failed intervention can be devastating, as it could actually alienate the patient and push her toward less healthy relationships, resulting in a situation that is worse than it was before the intervention. Friends and family who are desperate for a way to help often imagine the course of the intervention playing out in their heads (the end result being docile compliance with the plan for admission to a treatment center), and are crestfallen when the process does not go as planned.
Don’t Delay Addiction Intervention before the Holidays
With the holidays fast approaching, many families postpone dealing with addiction because they don’t want to interfere with holiday plans. The rule of thumb with addiction, however, is that as soon as you identify and recognize the problem, it’s time to act. Delaying an addiction intervention until after the holidays is never a good idea.
New Training Program Teaches Intervention Skills to the Public
A mental health emergency can happen to anyone you know or don’t know, and anywhere during your regular daily routine—but are you prepared to handle it? Just like training for life-threatening emergencies involving physical crises, such as CPR classes offered by the fire department, professionals are now offering training courses to the public on how to properly intervene during life-threatening mental health crises.
Effectiveness of Web-Based Interventions
When a health problem is suspected, whether it is a mental or physical ailment, it is becoming increasingly common for the Internet to be the first line of diagnosis and treatment, even before a doctor’s appointment is scheduled. Often, individuals will use the information online to determine whether they need additional treatment or to seek out possible natural, at-home treatments.
How to Deal with a Friend Who Is an Addict
One of the most gut-wrenching things in life is to see someone you care about suffer in any way. If you’re like most people, you want to help, but sometimes your choices seem extremely limited – if they exist at all. This can leave you feeling frustrated, scared, and powerless.
Need Help Finding an Intervention Specialist?
We can refer you to an experienced interventionist who can help you help your loved one.
The Addiction Primer: Everything You Need to Know to Get Help for a Loved One
A very inexpensive yet indispensable guide for anyone struggling with a loved one's addiction. Chapters on intervention, what to expect from rehab, and information on how addiction impacts the family.
