An intervention is sometimes necessary to help the ones we love come to grips with their addiction. Think of how many times you’ve swept something under the rug or neglected a fact only to realize it later. Even something as trivial as making an expensive purchase and justifying it to yourself, only to admit several months later it was not a good purchase. Addiction is not trivial, but the point of the analogy is to say that it’s common for people to have trouble admitting things to themselves.

This is why interventions are necessary, what is a glaringly obvious problem to others may be something incredibly difficult to come to terms with for the person suffering from a substance use disorder. That being said, here are 3 tips for a successful intervention.

1 – Carefully Pick Who is Involved

An intervention is not a courtroom drama, no one should be here to make sweeping accusations and control the narrative through force. An intervention is at it’s heart, a compassionate engagement with another person. It requires the addict to be incredibly vulnerable with their feelings, and so you should only involve people whom the addict trusts not to judge them or mishandle their feelings.

This is also one of the major reasons why a skilled interventionist should be contacted. It can be easy to get lost in family or friendship drama due to the emotional atmosphere. The addict may attempt to draw others into arguments that deflect from the issue at hand—their addiction. Having a qualified interventionist present can make sure the intervention stays on track.

2 – Practice What You Want to Say

Rehearsing your most salient points is incredibly important. While you are not here to give a speech, it is crucial that you understand the point you want to get across. This requires some finesse with words because you want to avoid anything that smacks of blaming or judgment. You also want to avoid making it seem like the person’s addiction is a burden to you and that is your motivation for the intervention.

We know that if you are here, reading this, those things are certainly not what you mean. However, language can be tricky. Certain phrasing and language can appear to be more self-interested than others. This is another reason why an interventionist will be useful for the intervention. They can coach you on things to avoid saying or how to present your feelings in a way that will help the person see that you truly want to just see them get better.

3 – Keep a Contingency Plan

Things do not always go as they should during an intervention, and people respond wildly different to being confronted with their addiction. Some people break down and cry, others calmly listen to what you have to say, some people become irrationally angry and storm out of the room. Whatever the case, understand that just because you have rehearsed your end, doesn’t mean you can predict how they will act.

Addiction Intervention Service Virginia

These tips for a successful intervention can help but a skilled interventionist can assist you in helping your loved one enter treatment. Interventions can be a very tricky ordeal, having someone who has done dozens, if not hundreds of them, can boost your success rate dramatically. Contact Recovery Care Partner and inquire about our intervention services.

We are deeply passionate about getting people to enter treatment, as such we always coach and prepare you on tactics that will increase the success rate of the intervention. We will also recommend a type and level of care that is suitable for your loved one’s circumstances.

Make the call today, (240)-206-6324.