The study, which will be published in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, looked at the influence of delinquency among more than 800 children and young adults between the ages of 10 and 24 from low and middle-income backgrounds. Participants were asked to answer questions about delinquency, alcohol use, and sexual activity in late childhood; alcohol use and delinquency in adolescence; and crime, alcohol use disorders, and risky sex behaviors in early adulthood.

The researchers found that youth from low-income families were two times more likely to report having sex by age 11 and participating in delinquent behaviors by age 10 than youth from middle-income families. However, those from middle-income backgrounds were 1.5 times more likely to report drinking alcohol by age 10 than those from low-income families.

Youth that reported early sex, delinquency, and alcohol use in late childhood through adolescence were more likely to report crime, alcohol use disorders, and risky sex in young adulthood.

W. Alex Mason, Ph.D., lead author of the study, said that crime, alcohol use disorders, and risky sex behaviors threaten the health and well-being of young people, and that the behaviors usually start in adolescence. Dr. Mason added that problem behaviors such as delinquency and alcohol use in childhood and adolescence are early warning signs that should be addressed by an intervention so that the behaviors don’t progress.

Source: Science Daily, Disadvantaged Adolescents Prone to Adult Crime and Substance Abuse Problems, Study Finds, August 16, 2010

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.

"I had a conversation with her, her mother and everyone…over the next couple of weeks I’m going to be doing things in a pretty public way," Michael told RadarOnline.com. "But (Lindsay’s mother) has got to get on the same page with me. It’s a serious situation. You can’t just talk about it and tell me that you want to do an intervention and then do nothing."

The Daily News’ Cristina Everett writes that Michael Lohan previously revealed that his daughter has been abusing prescription drugs.

"I’m going to get her off the prescription drugs that she’s on," he said. "I hate it when people talk about illegal drug abuse… because it’s not just drinking and illegal drugs that kill you. Prescription drugs can destroy and kill a person and are sometimes harder to stop. Look at Heath Ledger and Michael Jackson."

He added, "You know why Lindsay’s not acting in feature films right now? Because she can’t. Because the girl with all the talent is hidden and buried deep inside this fungus that’s grown because of the prescription drugs. She can’t be herself. When you hug her she’s like, vacant inside."

According to a source, the 23-year-old actress has been relying on a multitude of prescription medications, including Adderall (used to treat Attention Deficit Disorder), the anti-depressant Zoloft, and anti-anxiety and bi-polar drugs.

Despite the backlash from those who say Michael is betraying his daughter’s privacy by speaking to the media, he is confident in his parenting skills.

"When Lindsay doesn’t adhere or listen to what I say about serious situations, I feel I have to speak publicly to put pressure on her," he said. "If she doesn’t take my advice and do what I say…the more pressure I put on her, the more likely she is to eventually do the right thing."

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.

Family interventions are conducted by immediate family members who are concerned about the welfare of one of their own who has an addiction to drugs or alcohol. When families consider an intervention, they generally believe that it is the only alternative to obtain help for the addict. The reason behind this way of thinking is generally that the addicted individual refuses to even acknowledge that he or she has a problem. If drug or alcohol addictions go untreated, then the addict becomes at greater risk for serious medical problems, overdose, or even death.

If you find that you and your other family members simply cannot get through to the reluctant member of your family, consider enlisting the aid of your intervention specialist. This trained professional may very likely be able to discuss the problem with each family member individually, which may allow the intervention specialist to get to the root of the problem.

It is important to understand that it is not at all uncommon for at least one member of a family to be a little reluctant to participate in an intervention. It may not be that the reluctant person does not want to help; it could simply be that he or she simply does not think that his or her participation will provide any real benefit to the process.

In other situations, the reluctant family member may not fully understand the intervention process, and may hold a negative opinion about how it works. If you find that this is the case, it is particularly important that you involve your intervention specialist so that he or she can fully explain the process to your reluctant family member.