Intervention for Alcoholism

It’s a common struggle for family and friends with an alcoholic in their lives: how do we help her create change without alienating her and making the situation worse? The brunt of emotional and sometimes physical abuse and violence that accompanies alcoholism is borne by those closest to the alcoholic. Any attempts to discuss the root problem or offer help generally results in a deluge of threats and chaos. So how do you help your loved one get the help she needs before it’s too late?

An intervention for alcoholism is the most effective way to allow everyone important to the alcoholic to confront her without judgment and guide her directly into treatment. At Orchid Recovery Center, we can not only provide you with a treatment destination at the close of the intervention but also a professional interventionist to assist you and your family in the organization and mediation of the event.

Intervention for Alcoholism: The Basics

In its simplest terms, an intervention is a planned meeting in which close friends and family may sit down in person with the alcoholic in their lives and illuminate for her specific events that have caused them pain as a direct result of the alcoholic’s addiction. These examples discussed during the intervention are not meant to blame the alcoholic but to show her in no uncertain terms that her alcohol abuse is a problem, not just for her but for everyone around her. After everyone has had a chance to speak, the intervention ends in an ultimatum: go to treatment right now or.. The consequences will be different depending upon the situation but it is usually something like losing her place to stay, losing her partner or spouse or losing her job. Not to be delayed, the option of treatment should be carried out immediately upon agreement from the alcoholic. A professional interventionist may be on hand to run the meeting and keep it orderly and succinct as well as accompany the alcoholic to treatment when the intervention is over.

At Orchid Recovery Center, we can help you in the planning of your intervention for alcoholism as well as provide a professional interventionist to assist you in the nuances.

How To Determine Whether or Not Your Loved One Needs an Intervention for Alcoholism

For many, living with or loving an alcoholic may be a new experience. How do you separate your subjective, emotional experience of your loved one’s behavior from the objective, unemotional truth of the situation? It’s not easy, but it is necessary. Alcoholism is a disease and there are clear medical indications when someone is an alcoholic as opposed to an occasional abuser of alcohol. Here are a few:

Chronic health problems due to the overuse of alcohol
Violent behavior
Abuse of family, friends and children
Losing job and/or home due to behavior
Loss of friends, replaced by friends who are alcoholics as well
Financial troubles brought on by law suits, bad purchasing decisions made under the influence, and inability to pay bills or pay them on time
Suicidal or self-harming behavior including driving under the influence

Choosing the Best Time for an Intervention for Alcoholism

The term “rock bottom” is bandied about in treatment settings and support groups and described as the only time in which treatment for alcoholism will truly be effective. The idea is that the alcoholic will not realize that she has a problem until she has lost everything. At Orchid Recovery Center, we don’t believe this to be true. Everyone is different and sometimes the threat of losing her children, her job or her relationship with friends, spouse and co-workers is enough to get her to understand the extent of her problem and seek out treatment. If she is risking any of these things due to her abuse of alcohol then the time is right for an intervention for alcoholism.