| If you have a friend or family member who is suffering | | | | If you are considering an intervention, the first item of |
| from alcoholism, you are no doubt aware of the | | | | importance is the question of treatment. You simply do |
| byproduct of the disease. You've probably witnessed | | | | not go forward with an intervention unless the |
| the alcoholic isolate from friends and family, a decline in | | | | treatment facility is lined up and ready for him to admit. |
| health, problems at work, depression and perhaps | | | | And, since treatment is the solution to the problem, the |
| criminal issues. To make matters worse, alcoholism | | | | family needs to address a variety of questions relating |
| has been described as progressive, meaning that over | | | | to the desired treatment facility. What treatment facilty |
| time it gets worse. To put it a different way, where | | | | will best suit the alcoholic's needs? Does he treat close |
| the alcoholic is presently at in his lifestyle and overall | | | | to home or far away? Are there dual diagnosis |
| condition is as good as it gets for him. And for most | | | | issues? Who will pay? Is there medical insurance |
| alcoholics, that condition is dismal. | | | | available? The above questions represent a portion of |
| You may have tried to convince the alcoholic to get | | | | what needs to be addressed when considering a |
| help. You've begged, pleaded and cried, all to no avail. | | | | treatment facility. It may seem overwhelming, but with |
| Alcoholics are brilliant with their defense mechanisms, | | | | the assistance of an intervention specialist and/or other |
| and will say and do most anything to get you off his | | | | medical health practitioners, the treatment facility |
| back, end the conversation and resume his drinking in | | | | selection process is manageable. |
| peace. | | | | The next item of importance when considering an |
| One option in dealing with alcoholics is to do nothing | | | | intervention is the formation of an intervention team. |
| and hope he hits the proverbial "bottom" and magically | | | | You might have noticed that past one-on-one |
| requests help. Sometimes this option works, but the | | | | conversations with an alcoholic usually result in |
| potential downside is huge. "Bottoms" oftentimes | | | | extreme frustration and anxiety on your part, and no |
| include death, jail and/or irreversible health problems. | | | | change from the alcoholic. The alcoholic will employ a |
| The question is, why would friends and family | | | | variety of defense mechanisms to diffuse your |
| members allow the alcoholic to go that route if another | | | | attempts. Responses such as "I don't have a problem, |
| option is available? | | | | get off my back, I'll just go to an AA meeting, I can quit |
| The option I'm referring to is an alcohol intervention. An | | | | on my own, you are making a big deal out of nothing" |
| alcohol intervention is a process orchestrated by | | | | are just a sampling the denial-based responses you |
| friends and family members in an attempt to stop the | | | | may have heard. The presence of a group of properly |
| destructive and life-threatening behavior of a person | | | | coached friends and family members delivering |
| suffering from alcoholism. Some people view an | | | | "testimony" in a loving and supportive manner has the |
| alcohol intervention as an unwarranted intrusion into the | | | | tendency to remove the alcoholic from his |
| life of an alcoholic. Quite the contrary is true. While | | | | defense-minded comfort zone and, significantly, out of |
| alcoholics may very well be upset at the notion of a | | | | his head and into his heart. |
| family intervention, the family needs to understand that | | | | Treatment facility selection and the formation of a |
| any such anger is the result of the disease doing its | | | | team represent two major decisions when organizing |
| best to maintain the addiction and perpetuate the | | | | an alcoholic intervention. There are other substantive |
| disease. If the intervention team is properly coached on | | | | and logistical considerations. While organizing an |
| what to say and how to act throughout the process, | | | | alcoholic intervention may seem daunting, help from |
| an intervention can be one of the most loving, caring | | | | family members and, in particular, an intervention |
| and supportive event a family can do for their loved | | | | specialist will ease the overall process and enhance |
| one who is suffering from the addiction. | | | | the success of the event. |