Loving someone with an addiction is one of the most heartbreaking and emotionally draining experiences a person can face. Addiction doesn’t just affect the individual with the problem, the consequences ripple through the family and anyone who cares for the addicted person. It causes strained relationships, damaged trust, and leaves loved ones feeling hopeless, confused, and scared.
One of the hardest questions to answer through all of this is: “When do I step in?” Knowing when and how to intervene can be life-saving. This article is here to guide you through that process. You will learn why you should trust your instincts, the signs of addiction, and how to start a meaningful conversation with your loved one.
However, if the situation continues to escalate into danger or the person becomes resistant, this guide will also educate you on formal intervention. You will learn what intervention is, how a professional interventionist can help, and how to take the first critical steps to getting your loved one the treatment they need. With your help, your loved one can face their addiction, enter a quality addiction rehab, and start their journey to healing for a healthier, happier future.
Understanding Addiction
Addiction as a Disease: Addiction is a chronic disease that changes the structure of the brain and the way it functions, affecting judgment, behavior, and self-control. And much like cancer or diabetes affects normal organ function, addiction can as well. Just like those conditions require medical treatment and ongoing care, addiction also requires professional interventions and long-term recovery support.
The Emotional Impact: Addiction affects the family, friends, and communities of the addict, not just the person suffering from the illness. Relationships are strained as trust is eroded, and as the disease progresses, the feelings of hopelessness, confusion, and fear increase. Many loved ones battle with feelings of guilt, doubt, and often wonder if they are enabling the addictive behaviors. Meanwhile, the person suffering from the addiction is going through equal emotional turmoil with the added burden of shame and the stigma that is associated with addiction.
The Stakes of Inaction: Untreated addiction can have devastating consequences. Decline in physical health, legal issues, overdoses, and even death can all occur without timely intervention. With compassionate support and timely treatment, healing can take place, restoring physical health, emotional health, and damaged relationships. With statistics showing that 75% of those treated for addiction recover, now is the time to act, and the first step is trusting your instincts.
Step 1: Trusting Your Instincts
Intuition can alert us to trouble before physical evidence of addiction emerges. We know our loved ones better than most, which means when something feels “off,” our instincts are often right. Trusting your gut can be the first and most important signal that your loved one may be struggling with addiction and needs help.
As you start to trust your instincts and begin to recognize the signs of addiction in your loved one, keep a private record of their troubling behaviors and document your observations. This can help you gather your thoughts, can be used to confirm your suspicions, and prepare for the next steps. Trusting your instincts is the beginning of recognizing the signs of addiction.
Step 2: Recognizing the Signs of Addiction
The first signs of an addiction are typically behavioral. This is when you begin to get the feeling that something is not right with your loved one or they are not acting like themselves. The following is a list of possible behavioral changes that may indicate an addiction problem:
- Lying
- Stealing
- Secrecy
- Mood swings
- Withdrawal from family or friends
- Neglecting work or responsibilities
- Personality changes such as irritability, defensiveness, or loss of interest.
While behavioral changes might be the first sign that something is not right, physical indicators will also begin to present themselves. If you are worried that your loved one may have an addiction problem, look for the following physical clues:
- Changes in weight
- Red eyes
- Constricted or dilated pupils
- Poor hygiene
- Tremors
- Unusual sleep patterns
- Increased or new health issues
- Slurred speech
- Track marks or sores
Being aware of and watching for behavioral and physical changes common with addiction can help validate the gut feelings you have been having about your loved one. Again, document the frequency and severity of the changes so you might be better able to track persistent or escalating signs that warrant an intervention. First, take your concerns to the one you love.
Step 3: Have a Conversation
Before going to your loved one and voicing your concerns, take the time to carefully plan (practically and emotionally). First, you will want to choose a calm and private environment and a time when you suspect your loved one is sober and stable.
Using the observations you have made, approach your loved one with care and concern and without judgment. You could start by saying something like, “ I’m worried about you because I’ve noticed…”
Use specific examples of things you have noticed. Perhaps it’s about the amount of work they have been missing, how much they have been sleeping, or maybe you have found empty alcohol bottles or drugs.
Express your love and concern for the individual and have a plan or different treatment options to get them on the path to healing.
Prepare yourself for a variety of reactions. You may be met with denial, anger, resistance, and if you are fortunate, you may be met with an agreement to seek help.
When conversation fails and risky behaviors increase, health declines, or danger looms, further action, such as intervention, may be the next step.
When Conversation Isn’t Enough
Signs that Intervention is Necessary: At a certain point during an addiction, when conversations have failed and the addiction progresses, your loved one may become increasingly resistant to help. When you notice risky behaviors increasing, the health of your loved one declining, and they are a present danger to themselves and others, intervention becomes necessary.
What is an Intervention? Many people think of intervention as a cold and in-your-face approach to addressing someone’s addiction. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Interventions are a carefully planned approach to addressing addiction by family, friends, and professionals such as health care providers, therapists, and counselors. It is very structured and done with compassion to help motivate someone to seek help. Intervention is not a shaming tactic but rather a loving way to support your loved one and provide the appropriate resources for seeking help at the same time.
How Intervention Works: Interventions, and more specifically, professionally guided interventions, are often more effective than a one-on-one conversation at getting the addict to overcome their denial. The power of collective concern helps people see that they are loved, valued, and supported. And with the right professional help, such as a professional interventionist, you can help ensure a more successful intervention.
The Role of a Professional Interventionist
What is an interventionist? Many times, loved ones reach out for help to drug addiction rehabs, desperate for help for their loved one who continues to deny their problem and refuses help. This is when a professional interventionist comes in. This is a person who is a trained professional who specializes in organizing and conducting interventions. By coaching families, leading the conversation, providing emotional support for all involved, and even coordinating with rehab facilities, they help maintain structure, compassion, and focus.
How do they help? An interventionist can play several roles during (and after) the intervention. Let’s take a look at the main roles a professional interventionist plays:
- Organizing: This person will guide families in the selection of participants, prepare written scripts or statements, and guide the participants in using loving tones. An interventionist will help the process stay structured and avoid conflict or defensiveness.
- Recognition: The main goal of bringing in a professional is to get your loved one to seek help. Interventionists are trained to help people acknowledge their addiction when the family has tirelessly failed to do so. They can help educate everyone on addiction as a disease and help reduce the shame and stigma associated with addiction.
- Next Steps: A trained interventionist is an expert in family dynamics and communication. They will help develop and communicate a tailored treatment plan based on your loved one’s needs. They will also coordinate with addiction rehabs to secure admission immediately after the intervention.
- Transportation: An interventionist can accompany your loved one to a rehab facility, making sure the trip is smooth, compassionate, and full of motivation to follow through.
Finding an Interventionist: Many rehab facilities, like our Salt Lake City drug addiction rehab at Diamond Recovery Center, have an interventionist on staff who can help facilitate intervention, transportation, and rehab admission. If the rehab you contact does not have an interventionist in-house, interventionists can be found who are willing to travel across the nation to help end the deadly disease of addiction. When you choose an interventionist, please look for the credential of Certified Intervention Professional.
The Power of Action
Helping your loved one face addiction is not easy, but your love, awareness, and willingness to step in and take action can be the catalyst for their recovery. By trusting your instincts, recognizing the warning signs, and knowing when to seek professional intervention, you can give your loved one the greatest gift of all: hope. Although addiction is a powerful disease, with the right support and treatment, healing is possible. Don’t wait for things to get worse. Take the first steps today, find an interventionist if needed, and know you are not alone. With the right plan, professional help, and immediate action, your loved one can overcome addiction and enjoy a happier, healthier future.
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