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Guidelines To A Successful Alcohol Intervention

By: Chris Channing When you have a loved one who is an alcoholic, life is complicated. It is hard enough to live with an alcoholic, and sometimes it proves even harder just trying not to give them more reasons to drink. You don't want to enable their addiction by being seen as the "bad guy" and at the same time you desperately want them to get help for their problem. If you know a family member has a self-destructive drinking problem, then an intervention might be the only way to get through to them.

Before you even consider intervening and telling your friend, family member, or spouse to seek help, you should know that interventions have one goal, and one goal only .The goal is to make your alcoholic loved one realize that not only do they have a potentially life threatening problem, but that the only way to help themselves get healthy and sober is by entering a place where they can stay and get help from licensed professionals who do this sort of thing for a living.

Who You Should Contact

The first step to planning an intervention, perhaps the easiest step in the process, is to contact an alcohol abuse counselor and tell them your situation. Ask if they think an intervention is a wise course of action. Most counselors will be more than willing to preside over the intervention, make sure things don't get out of hand, and get the person you care about into a treatment facility as soon as possible. They will be there to give you advice, so don't be afraid to ask.

The last thing that you want during an intervention for an alcoholic is for the person being intervened upon to enter a state of shock and storm out in a rage, only to go to the bar or liquor store. One method of preparing an alcoholic for an intervention is to mention that you have been speaking to a professional about their problem, more importantly, a professional who wants to get them help. Dropping subtle hints about something as major as an intervention can be risky business, so make sure to speak to a counselor if you're not quite sure what to do.

Another place to ask for help, as unlikely as it may seem, is at the place where the alcoholic works. If you know that the alcoholic's employer is aware of the drinking problem, then perhaps the intervention can take place at the alcoholic's workplace. This of course, depends on where your alcoholic friend or loved one works, and certain risks are involved with bringing in someone from outside the circle of family and friends who will be present at the intervention. If you are unsure, talk to a counselor to help determine the best place to hold the intervention.

Of course, interventions are not always effective in convincing the alcoholic that the best course of action is for them to seek treatment. However, if you are genuinely concerned about the health of your loved one, then it may be the only option available.

Alcoholism has no cure, only treatment. A 28 day treatment facility is only the start on a path to a sober life, and before you decide to intervene, the best advice that can be given is to consider the possibility that the intervention will not work. If you offer an alcoholic an ultimatum such as: "If you continue to drink, then I'm filing for divorce," then ask yourself if you are really prepared to take that kind of step. Failure is always a possibility with addiction interventions, and as with everything else in life, proper preparation will more likely yield positive results. Good luck.