What is an intervention?
An intervention is the action taken by family, friends, employer and/or concerned
others to actively assist someone to change unacceptable behavior. The problem
areas that an intervention typically addresses are addiction to alcohol and/or
other
drugs, nicotine, food, the Internet, sex, spending/shopping, and gambling;
the need for nursing home or medical care; domestic violence issues; and chronic pain with
addiction.
Why use an intervention?
It was once believed that an individual struggling with addiction or resisting
changing
unhealthy behaviors had to sincerely want help to get help. The individual had
to
"hit bottom" before being motivated to change. This, of course, is not always
true.
No person can easily survive without support from someone close to
him/her. Interventions are based on this fact. A person will continue
to live his/her life of active addiction or an unhealthy behavior when friends
and
family offer inappropriate support. This type of support typically allows the
addiction or behavior to continue. In most cases, family and friends feel
that they are
protecting the individual, but in fact, they are creating an unhealthy support
system
for the person.
The intervention process addresses the unhealthy support system
that allows the
addiction to progress. Addiction breeds secrecy and isolation, both for the
individual
and for those who care about him/her. The intervention process brings together
family, friends and other concerned persons and creates a support network
for each
member. The support network in turn engages and empowers the individual to grow
and change in a positive way.
Who can be involved in an intervention?
The support network for an intervention is comprised of family, friends and others
with a caring, significant relationship to the individual.
All members of the
support
network must agree to empower the individual to make change, not shame or
humiliate him/her because of addiction or unhealthy behavior.
To learn more about Intervention Training workshops for professionals, visit the IIAR Workshops or call the IIAR at 1-800-522-3784. To learn more about Interventions, call the IIAR at 1-800-522-3784, or schedule a free informational session with a licensed and/or certified counselor.
The Illinois Institute for Addiction Recovery has centers at the following locations: