A drug or alcohol intervention is a structured conversation undertaken by a group of friends and loved ones to discuss someone’s addiction and try to get them to seek help. They are often performed with the guise of a professional who can help set them up and ensure they go smoothly. 

But when is it time for a drug intervention? 

The answer can be complex, but in general an intervention is called for only when someone who needs it is refusing help.  

In today’s blog post, we’ll discuss when it’s time for an intervention and how to structure them properly for maximum effect and with minimum unintended consequences.

How to Know if Someone Needs Rehab?

Addiction is a disease, a serious one. Like other diseases, knowing the symptoms will help determine when someone needs professional help. For addiction, rehab is that professional help.

Some signs people need rehabilitation for their drug addiction include:

• They’ve tried to stop using or to cut back and are unable
• Their addiction is affecting their work, school, or other responsibilities
• Their relationships are breaking down
• They are taking risks like drunk driving or frequenting unsafe places
• They are denying they have a problem
• Their tolerance has grown
• They experience withdrawal symptoms when not using
• Their lives revolve around the use of substances
• They neglect hygiene
• They have unusual mood changes
• They’re experiencing legal trouble involving substances or their abuse
• They have spiraling physical health

If any of your loved ones are exhibiting the above symptoms or you have other serious concerns about substance abuse and they have refused other offers of help, a family intervention for addiction may be in order.

Is an Intervention Appropriate?

Interventions, if done properly, can work wonders. They can convince those in the throes of addiction to finally seek help where nothing else has worked. 

However, if interventions are done improperly they can do more harm than good. Without a tightly structured conversation and everyone on board, they can easily spiral out of control and cause resentment and a sense of alienation in your loved ones. 

For this reason, other methods are often tried first. It’s essential to understand that interventions are for those who have and are refusing help when there is an obvious problem. Better to do it right than rush. 

On the other hand, if you feel you have tried other options and nothing has worked, an intervention may be in order, and may even save the life of your loved one.

Can I Force Someone Into Rehab in New Jersey?

In general you can’t force someone into rehab, although there are some laws in New Jersey that make involuntary commitment more common than elsewhere. 

Someone in New Jersey can be involuntarily committed to drug rehab or other mental health services by a judge under certain circumstances. In most cases they must be a danger to themselves or others. There must also be proof of their addiction or mental health issues. 

This method should only be used as a last attempt when all else has failed, including an intervention.

How to Stage an Intervention

The first thing we want to reiterate: interventions must be done methodically and carefully for them to work. Everyone has to be on board, everyone needs to stick to the script, and everything must go well for your loved one to come out stronger on the other side. 

The best way to do this is by hiring a professional intervention specialist. We strongly encourage you to seek the help of a professional who can take you through the steps you’ll need for success. The professional can help you:

• Set up the right team of family members and loved ones
• Gather facts 
• Help you write and rehearse letters to your loved one
• Coach the team on what to say, and importantly how to say it, for maximum effectiveness
• Find a suitable time and place for the meeting to happen
• Arrange treatment plans in advance
• Help keep things calm and on script during the actual meeting
• Help your loved one to seek care immediately after the meeting

With the help of an intervention specialist, the odds of success increase dramatically. The process is both intensely emotional and psychologically precise. It can be overwhelming to think about staging one, and professional help can make all the difference. 

Lean On the Living Room For Help

If you think your loved one might need a drug or alcohol intervention, The Living Room offers warm guidance, effective addiction treatment, and access to professional interventionists in New Jersey. If you need a referral to someone who can help, we’re here for you. 

At the living room we provide both IOP and PHP programs for both adults and adolescents, and have separate treatment programs for each. If you’re thinking about an intervention you can always lean on us for help and guidance. 
Call us at (609) 766-0969. We’re looking forward to offering our help.

Sources: 

Involuntary Outpatient Commitment. State of New Jersey Department of Human Services Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services. 
Treating Drug Problems: Volume 1: A Study of the Evolution, Effectiveness, and Financing of Public and Private Drug Treatment Systems. National Library of Medicine.