The new year often promises change and reinvention, and it provides an opportunity for us all to rededicate ourselves to personal health and wellbeing. But what about the health and wellbeing of our loved ones?
Addiction is a terrible illness, and one that often comes with the denial of its own existence. Whether due to shame, stigma, or pain, many people who struggle with substance use issues do not seek the help they need – only a fraction of Americans who are identified as addicted get proper treatment, even though modern addiction treatment programs enjoy a high rate of success, and low risk.
It often falls to family members to help give the final push towards treatment, usually in the form of a staged intervention. But interventions can backfire if handled improperly. Here is what you should know before you consider a drug or alcohol intervention program for the new year.
What is a Drug Intervention Program?
In essence, a drug intervention program is an organized effort between family members or friends and one or more trained professionals to construct a setting and series of verbal arguments and conversations to successfully urge an individual to accept treatment, often at a rehab facility or outpatient clinic for addiction.
Interventions utilize different frameworks or models to achieve the goal of convincing someone to get help. Some interventions rely on confrontation and consequence with a healthy dose of unconditional love, while other interventions lay out cold and logical pros and cons of treatment or lack thereof, appealing to the rational in addition to the emotional.
Why You Should Consider a Drug or Alcohol Intervention Program in the New Year
The new year is often a perfect opportunity for an intervention, if not for symbolic reasons, then because there is no better time than the present.
As far as mental health conditions go, addiction is among the most fatal, and carries a series of potentially life-altering physical and neurological consequences. Substance use disorders can affect a person’s ability to remember, reason, and conceptualize – the longer someone remains addicted, the greater their risk of an overdose or of irreparable damage.
When is the Right Time for an Intervention?
A drug or alcohol intervention is due when a loved one is addicted, yet in denial. If your loved one is evidently struggling and refuses or is repeatedly unable to quit their harmful habit, then they will need professional help.
The Characteristics of a Good Intervention
Interventions are designed to motivate an individual to get help. They exist to clearly illustrate a family or friend group’s suffering, and to drive home the importance of a structured treatment plan. Interventions also exist to ensure that the target person understands that they are loved and cared for, and that their loved ones insist that they get the help they need. In summary, a good intervention will:
- Illustrate the benefits of seeking professional help, and typically segue directly into treatment at a pre-arranged outpatient or inpatient program.
- Make clear the consequences of failing to seek help, or refusing to commit to recovery, whether these are financial, legal, or personal.
- Explain and showcase the pain which addiction has caused everyone involved in the intervention and emphasize how important it is to get help.
What is the Goal of a Drug or Alcohol Intervention Program?
Ultimately, the goal of an intervention program is to facilitate the willing enrollment of a targeted individual into their respective treatment plan, whether it is a one-on-one treatment plan, an outpatient clinic, or a residential rehab facility.
An intervention program is one part of a greater whole. Organizing an intervention is about more than just contacting a therapist or a dedicated interventionist. It is about creating a safe and sound setting for a group of people to come together and persuade someone they love to seek the help they need, and to organize the means for them to access that help.
Working With an Addiction Treatment Coach
Organizing an intervention can be complex and may take time. There are different techniques and criteria, and following up on an intervention with the proper treatment plan is just as important as convincing someone to agree to the terms of the intervention itself.This is where an addiction treatment coach may come into play. Addiction coaches are professionally trained and experienced mental health specialists who help organize the transition into and from medical care into day-to-day living.
An addiction treatment coach can help find the right interventionist and treatment plan for your loved one, stage the intervention, and help families navigate the confusing world of mental health and addiction treatment.
Why Do I Need an Addiction Treatment Coach?
An addiction treatment coach can serve as the bridge between worlds for you and your loved ones, helping guide you through the world of addiction treatment plans and intervention programs, and lead you to the right one.
Addiction treatment coaches like Stuart Birnbaum have spent decades in the mental health and addiction recovery industry, and know better than anyone how to navigate these industries to connect people with the treatment plans that they need based on their personal and medical histories, comorbid mental health conditions, insurance plans, and individual circumstances.
Rather than relying on various clinics and their individual testimonies, an addiction treatment coach can play a vital role as an impartial third party to help you find the right path forward.
Finding the Right Addiction Treatment Coach
The right addiction treatment coach must be impartial, experienced, and someone you feel you can work with. Like a therapist, the relationship between your loved one and your addiction treatment coach is important. The right consultant will help your loved one receive the care they need, but they must trust them to work in their best interest.
In many cases of long-term recovery, a solid drug or alcohol intervention is often the first step. It’s important to make that step with the right foot – work with an addiction treatment coach to give your loved one the best possible start to their recovery journey.