What Steps Should You Take for an Effective Alcohol Intervention?
If someone you love is struggling with problematic drinking, you might be wondering how you can help a loved one with addiction, and you probably have many questions about what you can do to get them the professional treatment they need. If you’re thinking about how to have a successful alcohol intervention, you’re not alone. The good news is that help is available, including professional guidance on how to make the intervention an effective and helpful way of guiding your loved one toward the treatment they need to get better.
Table of contents
» When Should You Consider an Intervention for a Loved One?
» What Are the Goals of an Alcohol Intervention?
» What Are the Key Steps to Planning an Effective Alcohol Intervention?
» Should You Hire a Professional Interventionist?
» Key Takeaways on How to Have a Successful Alcohol Intervention
» Resources
When Should You Consider an Intervention for a Loved One?
If you’re considering how to have a successful alcohol intervention, it helps to get up to speed on the basics of alcohol addiction. Reading up on things like treatment options for addiction and learning about the main triggers for alcoholics can help you better understand this disease and how to help.
To determine whether your loved one might be struggling with alcohol addiction, look for the signs of alcohol use disorder that can include things like:
- They drink more than they want to or drink for longer than they intended.
- They’ve tried unsuccessfully to reduce or stop their drinking.
- They experience intense cravings for alcohol and the urge to drink more.
- They continue drinking even though they know it’s causing struggles for them at work, home, or school.
- They’re engaging in risky behaviors frequently, such as driving after drinking.
- They keep drinking despite problems they’re suffering from, affecting their mental or physical health.
- They’ve developed a tolerance and now need to drink more to feel the same effects.
- If they don’t drink, they start to experience withdrawal symptoms.
If someone is showing these signs, it’s likely that they at least have a problem with their drinking, and they could very well be suffering from an alcohol addiction. Without seeking out professional help, they could experience potentially life-threatening withdrawal symptoms, and they will be much more likely to relapse in an attempt to stave off these withdrawal symptoms and the intense cravings they have to drink more alcohol.
Symptoms of alcohol withdrawal include:
- Nausea and upset stomach
- Feeling anxious, confused, or irritated
- Difficulty sleeping
- Sweating
- Mood changes
- Headaches
- Seizures
- Tremors
- Hallucinations or delirium
These signs suggest that it is time to plan an intervention to provide support.
What Are the Goals of an Alcohol Intervention?
To understand how to have a successful alcohol intervention, think through your goals for the intervention—what are you hoping will happen as a result of this conversation? Usually, the goal is to get someone into an effective rehab program for a loved one to get the professional treatment they need to deal with their addiction.
An alcohol intervention is a chance for family and friends to meet with their loved one and discuss ways that substance use has affected themselves and the person who is struggling with addiction. During this conversation, participants can give examples of ways the addiction hurts them and remind the person that they have close friends and family who love them and want to support them.
Ultimately, an intervention aims to discuss a treatment plan and get the person to accept the professional treatment that they need. There should be clear next steps, including what is being asked of them, as well as a list of what will happen if the person doesn’t agree to this treatment plan.
What Are the Key Steps to Planning an Effective Alcohol Intervention?
To make this effort successful, everyone involved needs to prepare and research what they’re going to say. One of the most significant steps in how to have a successful alcohol intervention is to carefully plan out every detail of the intervention, including where it will take place, who will be there, and what the suggested treatment plan will be.
- Find a Professional: To make your intervention the most effective possible, it’s important to work with a professional, such as a counselor, a social worker, an addiction treatment specialist, or an interventionist. Interventions can be tense, and a pro can help you plan your specifics.
- Form a Planning Group: Determine who should plan out the intervention. This is a considerable effort, and it’s helpful to have several people splitting up the tasks of researching the current situation and looking into possible treatment options.
- Look at the Situation: At this point, the planning group will do their research into their loved one’s specific situation, including the severity of the addiction and treatment options that could work for them.
- Get Others Involved: Decide who will be a part of their intervention, and set a meeting to rehearse your messaging and select the date and location of the actual event.
- Plan Your Script: At this point, everyone involved in the intervention needs to plan what they will discuss. The focus of each message should be on how the addiction has hurt their feelings or caused them problems.
- It’s Time: Come up with a way for someone to get the person struggling with addiction to the intervention site—without them knowing they’re on their way to this critical conversation. Take your turns offering your statements, and present the treatment plan and what will happen if they say no.
- Next Steps: Keep tabs on how they’re progressing in treatment, and try to be a supportive, encouraging person in their lives.
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Should You Hire a Professional Interventionist?
Hiring a professional interventionist or someone qualified to lead an intervention is an investment, but it’s well worth the price. A pro knows how to make the most out of this crucial time, and they can help participants say precisely what they want to share without misspeaking or pushing the other person away.
Many experts could be a helpful part of the intervention, including:
- Mental health professionals (counselors, therapists, psychologists, etc.)
- Social workers
- Licensed alcohol counselors
- Addiction treatment specialists
- Interventionists
Key Takeaways on How to Have a Successful Alcohol Intervention
- An intervention is a chance for family and friends to tell their loved one what their addiction is doing to them.
- These conversations also include proposing a suggested addiction treatment plan that was planned out before the event.
- Part of an intervention is also discussing the consequences they will face if they do not accept this treatment plan.
- It’s important to carefully prepare for an intervention and plan what each participant will say during the conversation.
- Hiring a professional interventionist can help everyone prepare for a successful experience.
If you’re wondering how to have a successful alcohol intervention, it all comes down to preparing for the big event and hiring a professional to help. When you’re ready to learn about alcohol treatment options for your loved one, the team at WhiteSands Alcohol and Drug Treatment is here to help. We offer evidence-based addiction treatment programs across Florida that have helped many people overcome the pitfalls of alcohol and learn to thrive in long-term recovery. Call us at 877-855-3470 today to take the first step toward a better tomorrow for your loved one.
Resources
- Mayo Clinic – Intervention: Help a Loved One Overcome Addiction
- WebMD – How to Hold an Intervention About Someone’s Drinking
- Partnership to End Addiction – Staging an Intervention for a Loved One
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.
About the Author
Jackie has been involved in the substance abuse and addiction treatment sector for over five years and this is something that she is truly eager about. She has a passion for writing and continuously works to create informative pieces that not only educate and inform the public about the disease of addiction but also provide solutions for those who struggle with drug and alcohol abuse.
