| g an Alcohol Intervention | | | | aware of what they should say and how they should |
| If you have an alcoholic for a friend or even as a | | | | act throughout the program. An effective program |
| family member, you are probably well aware of the | | | | with understanding team members can give life to a |
| results of alcoholism. You have probably already seen | | | | loving, caring and supportive event for the loved one |
| the alcoholic pry away from friends and family and | | | | with the addiction. |
| become depressed and unhealthy. To top all these | | | | When you are contemplating the idea of intervention, it |
| problems off, they might even be involved in criminal | | | | is absolutely important that you seriously consider the |
| activities! | | | | treatment facility available for the patient. You cannot |
| Alcoholism is often described as progressive in | | | | simply start an intervention program without first |
| nature: this means that with the course of time the | | | | readying the treatment facility. Sit down the entire |
| problem will actually get worse. The state in which | | | | family and decide on issues related to the treatment |
| your friend or family member is in now is probably | | | | facility. Consider the following issues: What treatment |
| much better than the state he will be in a few years | | | | facility is best suited for the needs of the alcoholic? |
| from now. | | | | Should he be treated near or away from home? Who |
| Alcoholics are often brilliant when it comes to devising | | | | will pay? Will there be any compensation from medical |
| tactics and mechanisms to keep away from people | | | | insurance? These are some of the key issues which |
| who are trying to convince them to get help. However, | | | | should be addressed. Seek advice from an intervention |
| keeping quiet would be impossible when seeing your | | | | specialist or a suitable medical health practitioner if you |
| loved one fall prey to this horrid disease. | | | | feel that the decision making process is quite |
| Alcohol intervention might be the right option for the | | | | overwhelming. |
| sufferer and you! Alcohol intervention is a process | | | | By now, you may have already figure out that |
| designed by friends and family members of the | | | | one-on-one conversations are usually fruitless. While |
| alcoholic. It is solely an attempt to put an end to the | | | | the alcoholic might use defense mechanisms to justify |
| anti-social and fatal behavior of an alcoholic. Although | | | | their behavior, do not back off! Having a group of well |
| some people are of the view that alcohol intervention | | | | coached friends and family members who will support |
| can be a rude intrusion into the privacy and life of an | | | | the alcoholic in a loving manner will probably get the |
| alcoholic, it is in fact the opposite! | | | | alcoholic out of his defensive attitude. Eventually he |
| Family intervention might be upsetting from the | | | | may move out of his comfort zone and start thinking |
| alcoholic’s perspective. However, the family has | | | | from the heart rather than the head. |
| to realize that such anger and disappointment is not | | | | There are plenty of other issues which have to be |
| the emotion of the person you love; rather, these are | | | | considered when starting up an alcoholic intervention |
| feelings caused by the condition that they suffer from. | | | | program. |
| Team members should be well organized and well | | | | |