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[D703]Drug And Alcohol Intervention

by Jamie Staggs, Jam

An intervention is when a group of family members, co-workers or friends band together to confront a loved one about his or her drug or alcohol addiction. The goal of an intervention is to help the addict realize how their desructive behavior has harmed themselves and those they care about, and be willing to try treatment as a way to turn their life around.

An intervention can happen in two ways, formal or informal. In a formal intervention, a group of family and friends will have a trained professional mediate their discussion with the addict and will direct the group in being as effective as possible. Commonly what happens is the group will write down and read how the addict has impacted their lives and how they would like to get back the person they lost to addiction. During the intervention the professional will keep the conversation working toward the ultimate goal of helping the addict to agree to going to treatment. During an informal intervention, a group of friends and family will sit down with the addict at an appropriate time with a plan laid out before hand of options for treatment. Each participant will tell the addict how they feel and how they've been affected by the addict's behavior. After everyone is done sharing, consequences are laid out if the addict chooses not to go to treatment and continues using.

An intervention is not only helpful to the addict it also helps the family and friends who have been affected. An intervention is important for all those who are involved. For many this is the chance to discuss with their loved one how their addiction has impacted their lives, while still showing their love and support. In the end, the benefits of an intervention can be enormous - not only will the addict get a second chance at life, but the family will have the person they loved returned to them.

Waiting to stage an intervention can have devastating consequences for both the addict and his or her loved ones. The longer an intervention is prolonged the more of a chance that person can do more harm to themselves or others. The sooner an intervention occurs, the better his or her chances are of accepting and responding to treatment. There is not a better time for an addict to begin his or her recovery than right now.

It is always easier to break an addiction that is just beginning to take hold of the user, rather than waiting until the addiction has taken a large toll on the mind, body, and spirit. The life of an addict is a dangerous one: if the drugs alone don't kill the person, criminal behavior to obtain drugs and others risks they may take while using might. Also by passively waiting to stage an intervention, a family not only enables the addict to continue their destructive behaviors, but also allowed the addict to continue to hurt the family as a whole. Waiting to stage an intervention is an unwise decision that could have devastating consequences for everyone involved.

Intervention for drug abuse is a wake up call for someone who is going off the deep end. It is an attempt to put a safety net under the person whose life is spiraling downwards out of control. Successful interventions are behavioral interrupters. They address the problem, set boundaries, and offer solutions. They penetrate the addict's denial system and are a turning point their life and ideally result in the individual going into a drug and alcohol rehab program.

A drug and alcohol intervention is an honest, heartfelt, communication. Intervention is an opportunity for family, friends and co-workers to say, ?Hey, we're watching you die, Man. It's tearing our hearts out. What you do effects us too! We want you to get some help!? An intervention of truth, piercing the protective armor of denial, is an incredible gift of love. It is opportunity of hope for a new life, for both the addict and his family.

Recovery does not have to be a painful process. Life is painful enough. Recovery should feel good. New alternative treatments that are holistic in nature are having remarkable results. In the past, addicts have resisted treatment, because it seemed more painful and difficult, than their active addiction. Thankfully, times have changed. Alternative treatment modalities have come a long way from the old days ?break them down, let them suffer and feel the pain so they don't do this again? mentality. Today we know there is a lot more to recovery than shoving the twelve steps down someone's throat.

Healthy treatment does not just give you a time out, put a band-aid on a wound the size of a decubicus ulcer, and send you on your way. Healthy treatment does not shame or degrade a human being, instead it heals low self esteem and empowers the individual to reach new heights. Healthy treatment gives you what you need to feel good physically, emotionally and spiritually. Healthy treatment reignites the spirit and restores the joy of living. Healthy treatment is holistic treatment of mind, body and spirit.

Recently the Art & Entertainment Network's show INTERVENTION, introduced America to a heroin addict using in her bathroom. We witnessed her progress while in treatment at North Miami's G&G Holistic Addiction Treatment Program, better known as THE HOLISTIC CENTER. A sober year later, this woman is now working for the treatment center which helped her on her path to recovery. The before and after pictures are astonishing. We see two different people: 1) a heroin addict standing in a six hour long vegetative state in front of her bathroom mirror, nodding off after shooting up, and 2) a bright eyed, confident, joyful woman who is an inspiration to others, and who is self-supporting financially and emotionally. Her intervention was the bridge that transported her from the dead zone and gave her the opportunity to recover.

Think of an intervention as a cargo ship that transports the addict from active addiction to a destination, which is the protection of a addiction treatment facility. The captain is the facilitator. The crew is made of up of trusted family, friends, and co-workers. You have done your research and have a timetable and destination in mind.

Your cargo is your loved one and his emotional baggage. As Captain, you must steer the ship. Each crew member takes a turn at the helm, speaking his truth in love, chipping away at the addict's anchor of denial. By the time, each person has shared their truth, feelings, needs, fears, and hope, the family will have traveled a great distance from denial into truth, and thoroughly defined the problem. It is now time to offer a solution.

Holistic Treatment is a solution, a blessing. Imagine treatment as a well of healing waters, not a prison from which you need to escape. It is imperative that the addict understand that they are receiving a gift, not punishment. Regardless of the mask's of arrogance and defiance, the core of every addict is shame, guilt, self-hatred and fear. Love motivates and empowers. Acceptance waters the soul and facilitates healing and spiritual wellness.

In this day and age, when addiction recovery treatment is a billion dollar industry with pitiful success ratios, it is imperative to know that there is HOLISTIC TREATMENT that works, addressing the mind, body, and soul. Holistic treatment not only has the highest recovery rates, individuals seem to thrive, find genuine happiness, joy for living, and peace of mind.

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Both Jamie Staggs & Elizabeth Gilley are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.

Jamie Staggs has sinced written about articles on various topics from Fitness, Alcohol Treatment and Fitness. . For more information about treatment including. Jamie Staggs's top article generates over 1300 views. to your Favourites.

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