What To Expect At An Intervention?

Those who have a drug addiction generally follow a pattern or cycle to their drug abuse. With an intervention, that cycle is broken. This can be a devastating, earth-shattering, but most importantly eye-opening experience for the addict. The whole point of an intervention is to educate the addict and their loved ones about addiction and how to handle it in a productive way. Drug and alcohol intervention allow an addict to regain the life that they thought was lost forever. Surrounded by the people that they love and care about, an addict is more likely to know that they are not alone, and that they can beat this addiction and successfully live a healthy and sober life.

There are two main drug and alcohol addiction intervention styles that exist (but there are much more out there). This does not mean that the drug intervention has to be strictly one or the other, but it does show that there is structure required to successfully have an intervention. It is important that the family receives professional help with a drug addiction intervention in order to achieve their goal of showing their loved one that he/she has a problem and needs help. Sometimes, self-lead interventions can cause serious issues with trust and boundaries within the family. They can sometimes veer away from progress. That is why these intervention styles exist – to help promote a successful recovery.

The most common intervention style is the Johnson Institute Model. It allows for the addict to realize that they don't need to destroy their lives, or hit rock bottom, to get the help they need. Through the Johnson Model, the family and friends of the addict can confront he/she about their negative and unhealthy behavior. Each person doing the confronting will explain how the individual's addiction has impacted their lives. The main focus of this type of drug intervention is to get the addicted individual the help they need.

A close second in popularity, the Family Systems Model does much of what the Johnson Model does, but in a way that strongly considers the needs of the families affected by the addict's destructive behavior. This model supports the family through counseling, which empowers them to detach themselves from the addict's negative cycle of abuse. The Family Model is extremely helpful in addressing the immediate needs of the family.

Although both of these models address the situation of an intervention in different ways, with the help of a certified intervention therapist, you and your loved ones can personalize the situation of drug addiction intervention in your own way and to your own benefit. If you feel that it is necessary, you can address both the needs of the addict and the needs of the families involved. Either way, it is extremely important that you get help for any type of situation where the abuse of drugs or alcohol are present. Do not wait to get the help you need.