When is Intervention Necessary?
The popular A&E show Intervention chronicles the experiences of drug and alcohol addicts whose dependencies have brought them to a point of extreme personal crisis. The show takes an intimate look at the downward spiral of an addict, and the efforts of loved ones to lead him or her on the road to recovery.
Intervention is an effective course of action when an addict is not paying heed to their own health and safety, and is becoming increasingly estranged from friends and family. Concerned loved ones decide to step into the addict’s life and strongly encourage him or her to seek help. An intervention is a structured, solution-oriented meeting that is often moderated by an interventionist. Before approaching an addict, a specific plan of action needs to be devised, including treatment measures and facility arrangements. An interventionist helps family members explore their options and decide the best route to take when confronting the addict. During the gathering, a circle of loved ones, colleagues and spiritual leaders in the addict’s life express their observations and fears regarding his or her behavior in a non-judgmental way. The ultimate goal is for the addict to recognize their destructive behavior and accept help.
The success rate of intervention is promising: The National Association of Independent Interventionists Conference (AIS) in 1995 revealed that 90% of professionally facilitated interventions resulted in the identified patient entering treatment as a direct result of the intervention. Knowing when an intervention is necessary can be difficult to gage, but if you are even slightly considering staging one, it is likely the appropriate step to take.
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April 18th, 2009 at 7:06 am
thanks for the post.
You know, I have to admit that when I saw that A&E was creating a show called Intervention I was a bit annoyed. I thought they were using someone’s addiction to get ratings. Although I am sure that is part of it, I watched it anyway. The stories are compelling and heart wrenching, and most importantly educational. People should tune in!