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What is Alcoholism Intervention Like?

It is a serious matter when the family of someone undertakes alcoholism intervention. Intervention must be entered in with counsel from a professional who thoroughly understands the disease, alcoholism. Intervention includes family members and friends of the person as well as the person him/herself suspected of suffering from alcoholism. This individual is confronted with the evidence of alcoholism including the symptoms that others have witnessed the individual experiencing. Sometimes the legal process initiates the intervention if the individual was in trouble with the law and the incident was alcohol-related.

The intervention is a confrontation between those who are concerned about the individual and feel the need for medical diagnosis and treatment of the symptoms of alcoholism and the person with the alcohol problem. The goal of intervention is that the confrontation and evidence of symptoms of alcoholism along with the consequences of drinking is to convince the individual that help is needed in order to prevent further damage to his/her health, relieve the symptoms of alcoholism and to prevent further damage to finances, relationships or work-related issues, and possibly to stop further alcohol related violence or brushes with the law.

There are steps that can be taken that will facilitate a successful alcohol intervention that are outlined by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism they include the following:

Those who care about the person with alcoholism need to stop making excuses for the individual (shielding him or her from the consequences of their alcohol-related actions) so that the individual can experience the full impact of the alcohol-related behavior.

Interventions to be successful need to be timed correctly usually immediately after a alcohol-related problem such as a traffic accident, major run-in with the law, or an incidence of domestic or other violence that is alcohol-related. The timing is important because the individual needs to feel the full impact of the consequences of his/her drinking and be able to relate the consequences with the drinking in an undisputable manner.

The individual should be sober when the intervention takes place. It is imperative that all persons remain as calm as possible during the intervention and that the intervention be done in private with those involved in the intervention meeting before the intervention to discuss the need for the intervention and to come with a plan for how to proceed with the intervention and who will be involved in the intervention.

There should be very specific examples of the alcohol-related incidents that caused problems with others, or with the law, finances, relationships etc., and facts should be discussed not opinions.

It should be made clear the steps that will be taken to protect all those who are involved if the person should decide not to seek professional help for the alcoholism.

It should also be made clear that the intervention and the necessary medical treatment are not punishment for having alcoholism but that the treatment is necessary to help the individual recover from the disease of alcoholism.

Those participating in the intervention should arrive at the intervention with information about available treatment programs in the area, preferably with an appointment already made at the treatment facility should the individual agree to get help for the alcoholism.

Those who care about the individual should offer to accompany the individual to the treatment program for the initial appointment.

It is important not to give up if the first attempt at an alcohol intervention is met with resistance or is unsuccessful.

Interventions are usually successful if they are conducted in a compassionate and nonjudgmental manner with clear, concise evidence of how the alcohol related behavior is harming the individual and/or others.

It is also imperative that interventions be planned and that they have the guidance of a professional who is experienced in substance abuse.

There are many support groups available for the individual and family members to utilize including Al-Anon, and Alateen.