What Should You Know Before Doing an Intervention with a Family Member?

If you have a loved one struggling with a substance use disorder, knowing how to do an intervention with a family member can be a great way to make your concerns known constructively and let your loved one know that you are there to support them as they undergo treatment. Family interventions are a type of social support, which the American Psychological Association defines as assistance or comfort generated by relationships a person has with their social network, including friends, family members, colleagues, and neighbors. A study published in the journal Addictive Behaviors Reports reports that social support is linked to fewer pretreatment days for substance use and a lower frequency of relapse. While a family intervention can help, you must first understand how to intervene with a family member to ensure its success.

 

---

Table of contents

» How Does a Family Intervention Work?

» When Is the Right Time to Stage an Intervention?

» Who Should Be Involved in an Intervention?

» What Are Common Mistakes to Avoid During an Intervention?

» Key Takeaways on How to Do an Intervention with a Family Member

» Resources

---

How Does a Family Intervention Work?

A family intervention is a structured meeting that allows family members and other loved ones an opportunity to express their concerns in a non-judgmental way to a person who has an addiction to drugs or alcohol. This can act as a form of self-care for people with an addict in the family since they are often conducted with the help of a mental health professional who can moderate and guide the intervention and provide valuable insight into what your family member is going through.

Additionally, a mental health professional can act as a neutral third party who ensures everyone is heard fairly and can intervene if talks become heated.

A bit of preparation work is required to set up a family intervention, which frequently includes:

• Form a team of supportive and trustworthy family members, friends, and colleagues to help you plan the intervention.
• Educating yourself about your loved one’s substance abuse problem so you fully understand what they are going through and the treatment options available.
• Talk to a mental health professional to identify your family member’s main problem and how the intervention should help them.
• Contact all family members and loved ones to bring them together for a scheduled day and time.
• Choose a neutral location and time when your loved one is less likely to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
• Ask your family member with a substance use disorder to come to the selected place at the set time without telling them why.
• Set concrete goals for those involved in the intervention. What do you want to accomplish with the intervention?
• Fully prepare invention members so they understand your loved one’s substance use disorder and how to talk to them without being judgmental, argumentative, or placing blame. Encourage them to write out what they’d like to say.

During the meeting, having a mental health professional in attendance can help ensure the intervention stays structured, on target, and remains a safe space throughout the entire process.

The purpose of the family intervention is to give family and friends a chance to:

• Express their concerns regarding their loved one’s substance abuse problem.
• Talk about how that person’s choices and behavior negatively impact their life.
• Communicate your love and support for your family members, and that you want them to improve because you care so much about them.
• Provide your loved one with treatment and support group options for them to seek help.
• Ensure your family members fully understand that everyone in the room is there to support them through their treatment.
• Be prepared for potential consequences if your loved one refuses treatment.

It’s important to remember that once the intervention is over, your work is not done. Intervention members should take on the responsibility of helping to ensure that your loved one gets the treatment they agree to and sticks with it. Follow-up support could include deciding to drive them to their detox or counseling appointments, attending family counseling with them, or checking on them in person every few days to make sure they are not under the influence of any substances.

How Can Substance Use Disorder Affect My Family?

If you have a family member with a substance use disorder, you are not alone. A KFF Tracking Poll in 2023 found that 54% of Americans have a family member who has been addicted to alcohol, 27% to illegal drugs, and 24% to prescription painkillers.

And the National Institutes of Health reported that almost one in every four children lived with a parent or guardian who had a substance use disorder in 2023.

Having a family member with an addiction to drugs or alcohol can impact your family in several negative ways, including:

• Financial instability occurs if a family member cannot work or is using money to purchase substances
• Frequent arguments or fights
• Emotional problems
• Trust issues
• Stress and anxiety
• Increased abuse risk
• Isolation from other family members and friends
• Poor school and behavioral performance from children and teens
• Long-term trauma
• Additional addiction issues in the family
• Estranged families

---

When Is the Right Time to Stage an Intervention?

At first, you may not even realize your family member has a drug or alcohol addiction. However, if you start to see the signs that they have a substance use disorder, it’s time to take action and learn effective interventions for alcohol abuse before things get worse.

Some signs of substance abuse to look out for include:

• Constant need for drugs or alcohol, such as drinking first thing in the morning, taking more prescription drugs than needed, or always sneaking away to take an illegal drug.
• Drastic behavior changes, such as irritability or depression.
• Unexplained financial issues, such as being unable to pay rent or a car payment.
• Frequent absences from school, work, or family activities.
• Making bad or dangerous decisions that could harm others, such as drinking while intoxicated or stealing money.
• Signs of drug or alcohol abuse include health issues, such as fatigue, overdose, weight loss or gain, or a mental health condition.
• Trying to talk to your family member about your concerns hasn’t worked.

---

Who Should Be Involved in an Intervention?

Understanding who to invite to a substance abuse intervention is essential to knowing how to do one with a family member. Much of the intervention’s success lies in having the right people there to provide support.

In general, try to select a small group — about four to six — of family members and friends who are very involved in your loved one’s life. These can include:

• Primary family members — husband, wife, mother, father, children, siblings
• Secondary family members — grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins
• Very close friends
• Current colleagues

---

---

What our customers are saying

---

What Are Common Mistakes to Avoid During an Intervention?

Now that you have a better understanding of how to intervene with a family member, let’s discuss some errors that people might make that could prevent their intervention from being successful.

When holding a family intervention for a loved one with a substance use disorder, try not to:

• Hold the intervention without a clear plan or without everyone involved knowing what they want to say.
• Pick a location that may be uncomfortable for your loved one.
• Conduct the intervention if your loved one shows up intoxicated or under the influence.
• Use unhelpful labels like “drunk,” “junkie,” “user,” or “addict” that cause stigma and discrimination.
• Make your loved one feel ambushed
• Get into heated arguments or yelling matches
• Be accusatory or blaming
• Make ultimatums
• Invite family members or friends who are not supportive or too judgmental
• Expect immediate results or a “quick fix”.

---

---

---

Key Takeaways on How to Do an Intervention with a Family Member

• A family intervention is a structured, non-confrontational way for family members and friends to let a loved one know about their concerns regarding their substance use disorder.
• Substance abuse can have a very negative impact on a family.
• Consider inviting a mental health professional to assist with planning and guiding the intervention.
• It is important to fully understand how to conduct an intervention with a family member—including who to invite, when to hold it, and how to plan—before holding one.
• Try to stay away from some common mistakes that can make your family intervention unsuccessful.

WhiteSands Treatment is one of the leading mental health treatment providers in Florida. Through our various locations, we offer inpatient, outpatient, medical detox, and aftercare services for those struggling with a substance use disorder from alcohol, prescription drugs, or illegal drugs. Our fully licensed and board-certified staff uses not only traditional treatments and counseling for substance use disorders, but also holistic and alternative treatments to treat the whole person—mind, body, and spirit.

If you have a loved one struggling with drug or alcohol addiction and have questions regarding how to check someone into rehab and holding a family intervention, call WhiteSands Treatment in Florida today at 877-855-3470.

---

Resources

• American Psychological Association — APA Dictionary of Psychology: Social Support
• Addictive Behaviors Reports — An inverse relationship between perceived social support and substance use frequency in socially stigmatized populations
• KFF — KFF Tracking Poll July 2023: Substance Use Crisis And Accessing Treatment
• National Institutes of Health — Millions of U.S. kids live with parents with substance use disorders

If you or a loved one needs help with abuse and/or treatment, please call the WhiteSands Treatment at (877) 855-3470. Our addiction specialists can assess your recovery needs and help you get the addiction treatment that provides the best chance for your long-term recovery.