How to Stage An Intervention For Someone You Love

Make A Plan 

Once you recognize the signs of substance abuse in someone you care about, you need to outline a plan so that everyone knows what they are doing on the day. The best approach is to work with a qualified substance abuse specialist who can help explain to the individual what is happening and act as a mediator, especially since many interventions can quickly go awry if everyone tries to speak over one another. 

Get Everyone Together

When you have designed your plan, agree on a time to get everyone together, including the person you are intervening with, although they should not know an intervention is happening. You can also take this time before your friend or relative arrives to gather extra information and share stories so that everyone knows the extent of the problem. 

Decide What Will Happen 

Everyone hopes the intervention will succeed, but it is not always that simple. Whether you’re highlighting the benefits of a methadone treatment program or alcohol rehab clinic, you need to decide what will happen if your loved one refuses to do anything. This can be a tricky situation to navigate, so having a professional there can help, and while you don’t want to give ultimatums, you may have no choice. You must make sure everyone is on board with the possible consequences before the meeting. 

Find A Safe Space for the Meeting 

You don’t want to make the intervention too uncomfortable, so picking a safe space to highlight your concerns will make the entire experience more effective for everyone involved. A familiar setting, such as someone’s house, is the best option for a safe space and it can mitigate (but not always prevent) the chances of outbursts or arguments as the environment is not considered hostile. 

Follow Up 

The intervention is not always over once the initial meeting finishes and your loved one accepts that they need help. Everyone needs to work together after the meeting and even after the treatment cycle to look out for signs of continued substance abuse while also offering support to ensure they have a strong and stable network to help ease any discomfort or struggles that could be tied to their recovery process.

Doing What You Can 

There is only so much you can do for someone struggling with an addiction. Still, doing what you can will be more effective than standing idly by and doing nothing at all. Approaching the intervention the right way should hopefully make a difference, but it is ultimately up to the individual to take the right steps forward. 

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Josie Smith