Drug Abuse Intervention

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In a drug abuse intervention, people who are dependent on drugs are confronted by family members and friends on the topic of their drug abuse and how their abusive and excessive drug abuse has affected virtually everyone near him or her.

Drug abuse interventions should be carefully planned and developed by proficient substance abuse intervention counselors who are experienced in such procedures. The most basic purpose of a drug abuse intervention is to get the drug abuser to seek qualified drug abuse rehabilitation.

Drug Abuse Intervention:  An Introductory Outline

Scientific inquiry demonstrates that one way of coping with drug abuse is to conduct an intervention.  What is a drug abuse intervention?

For the most part, an intervention can be viewed as a step in the drug abuse rehab procedure in which the drug abuser is confronted with reference to his or her drug abuse and how his or her abusive, excessive, and carefree substance abuse has affected family members, friends, co-workers, and possibly neighbors.

Stated differently, a drug abuse intervention is a meeting involving the drug abuser , family members, friends, possibly an employer, along with a mental health professional or substance abuse intervention expert.  In this meeting, the family members and friends, under the leadership and supervision of the substance abuse intervention specialist, express their concern about individual’s drug abuse and strongly "encourage" the drug abuser to get qualified rehabilitation.

Normally in an intervention, family members and friends tell the drug abuser in their own words how they are concerned with reference to the substance abuser and how his or her drug abuse has created fear, anxiety, frustration, and other challenges in their lives.  The objective of a drug abuse intervention centers on the substance abuser listening to what has been said and then accepting the fact that he or she needs professional drug abuse assistance.

It is critical to state that drug abuse interventions are routinely resorted to when all other methodologies have been exhausted in an effort to help a person triumph over a menacing drug abuse problems.

Drug Abuse Interventions Can Fail

Substance abuse scientific exploration demonstrates the fact that not an insignificant number of drug addiction and substance abuse rehab centers have stopped doing drug abuse interventions because they sometimes fail. Stated more precisely, when drug abuse interventions are not productive, a fact that has to be taken into consideration, the family can actually be torn apart even further due to the damaging and disruptive feelings concerning the failed intervention.

It must be highlighted that this is not an insignificant issue for a family that is already on the edge of devastation due to the abusive drug use of a family member.  The chance for failure with regard to drug abuse interventions accentuates the need to employ an drug abuse intervention professional who has a verified track record of success.

Why Do Drug Abuse Interventions Fail?

What are the most important reasons that drug abuse interventions fail?  First, the intervention may fail if the drug abuser doesn't follow the counseling procedure both during and after formal rehabilitation.

Second, since his or her reasoning and commonsensical abilities and emotional stability may be inhibited because of advanced drug abuse, the substance abuser may simply leave the intervention session, meaning that the well-intentioned family members will have to deal with the failed intervention in addition to the rest of their difficulties.

The third reason that drug abuse interventions may prove to be unsuccessful is the fact that the substance abuser may not be ready for rehab at this time. Stated more specifically, some therapists strongly assert drug abuse interventions may lack a confirmed long-standing track record due to the fact that many people who are drug abusers are not able to receive help until they get to the point in their lives when they themselves make this decision.

In short, according to this view, people who are drug abusers can't be helped until they seek assistance on their own. Oddly, whereas the intervention helps put people who are substance abusers in a more receptive frame of mind and actually helps them decide that they require therapy, the mere fact that the intervention took place may result in ill feelings, resentment, and mistrust in the future.

And fourth, drug abuse interventions can fail when a family either chooses to undertake an intervention without the management and support of an intervention professional or if the intervention person is unskilled.

When Do Drug Abuse Interventions Succeed?

Scientific investigation has proven that the best possible time for a drug abuse intervention is following a significant event, like an arrest for a DUI, when a substance abuser has been caught stealing something of value, or when the drug abuser is caught lying about something of importance.  In these situations, the drug abuser is more likely to be remorseful or to experience guilt.  Though this may seem self-evident, it needs to be stated that it is also significant that the drug abuser is drug-free at the time of the intervention.

It is interesting to point out, by the way, that according to substance abuse research, men are more likely to remain in drug abuse rehab if they are there because of "suggestions" or threats from their employers.  This finding appears to point out that interventions that involve employers can be effective in some situations.  To be sure, according to one study, employees who were chronic drug abusers displayed significant improvement in their drug abuse and in their job performance during the months immediately following an intervention to confront their drug abuse that was negatively affecting their work.

To put it briefly, it can be articulated that some drug abuse interventions have apparently motivated substance abusers to accept treatment for his or her drug abuse.  And if done with careful planning and with the supervision of a substance abuse intervention expert, the chances of success are greatly enhanced.

Drug Abuse Intervention:  Conclusion

An intervention is a type of confrontation in which a group of concerned individuals, such as family members and friends along with a mental health or a substance abuse intervention specialist, have a meeting with a drug abuser.  In this meeting, the family members and friends, under the guidance and leadership of the intervention expert, articulate their concern about the person’s drug abuse and strongly "encourage" the drug abuser to get competent treatment.

Even though drug abuse interventions should be initiated as a "last resort" and have been known to boomerang and result in ill feelings, resentment, and mistrust, if done with careful planning and under the guidance of a substance abuse intervention professional, the chances of a successful drug abuse intervention are much increased.

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