How To Stage An Alcohol Intervention 10 Tips & Strategies

The addict can accept the offer then and there, or the team may be willing to give them a few days to weigh their options. Understanding the available treatment options—from behavioral therapies and medications to mutual-support groups—is the first step. The important thing is to remain engaged in whatever method you choose. Evaluate the coverage in your health insurance plan to determine how much of the costs your insurance will cover and how much you will have to pay. Ask different programs if they offer sliding scale fees—some programs may offer lower prices or payment plans for individuals without health insurance.

After interviews are conducted, friends and family members may be asked to attend the intervention and a time and location will be set. Participants may be required to write down what they want to say to the addict and receive coaching on what to expect during the confrontation. Just as some people with diabetes or asthma may have flare-ups of their disease, how to do an intervention for an alcoholic a relapse to drinking can be seen as a temporary setback to full recovery and not a complete failure. Seeking professional help can prevent relapse—behavioral therapies can help people develop skills to avoid and overcome triggers, such as stress, that might lead to drinking. Most people benefit from regular checkups with a treatment provider.

What is an Alcohol Intervention?

We outline the basic steps of alcohol interventions as well as 7 principles to ensure that an alcohol intervention can go well. Dr. Okhifun is a passionate medical doctor, with over five years’ experience as a general practitioner. His passion for medical education led to his journey in medical writing. He also serves as medical coordinator and content writer for Gerocare Solutions, for which he also volunteers as a health advisor/consultant for the elderly. Teens today experiment with alcohol earlier and more often than ever before. They’re more likely to binge drink and more vulnerable to developing an alcohol use disorder than adults.

• Read on for 20 ways that will teach you how to help someone with a drinking problem.
• The good news is that no matter how severe the problem may seem, most people with AUD can benefit from some form of treatment.
• Ask different programs if they offer sliding scale fees—some programs may offer lower prices or payment plans for individuals without health insurance.
• The intervention specialist or members of the group will then persuade the alcoholic to sit and listen to what is being said.

An intervention can also be used to help stop a problem before it starts. Children and teenagers can be discouraged from drinking or experimenting with alcohol when their families get together to discuss the dangers of it. This is also an opportunity to teach healthy methods for managing stress and dealing with peer pressure. Everyone involved in an intervention should prepare ahead of time.

What Are the Goals of an Alcohol Intervention?

Be prepared for them to deny their alcohol abuse or to claim that they can stop drinking any time they want. If you or a loved one is ready to overcome an alcohol addiction, reach out today. Treatment providers can connect you with programs that provide the tools to help you get and stay sober. First and foremost, you should research and learn as much as possible about AUDs, interventions and types of treatment. This will help you understand the effects of alcohol, such as how it affects your loved one’s physical and emotional well-being. Before staging an alcohol intervention with your loved one, be sure to think about what you will say and who will be involved.

Try not to allow your loved one’s behavior to dictate your own health and happiness. Schedule time into your day for relaxing, maintaining your own health, and doing the things you enjoy. Your loved one’s recovery can be a long process, so you need to maintain a balance in your life. You may be worried that if you bring up your concerns the person will get angry, defensive, lash out, or simply deny that they have a problem.

How to Stage an Intervention

Families and friends may have to stage an intervention to convince a person with alcohol dependence that they have a problem. An intervention is a meeting in which you face your loved one and explain that you are concerned about their health and well-being. From this intervention, you can hopefully direct the addict toward a doctor, detox program, or support group that can help them face the realities of addiction and get on the path to recovery. If friends and family feel too emotionally charged while working on a DIY intervention, they can consult a professional interventionist, social worker, therapist, or other counselor at any time for help. They may ask the person to lead the intervention or simply seek guidance in planning the event.

Instead, urge them to talk about the pros and cons of their drinking. That can help them find their own reasons to change their habits. Scientists are working to develop a larger menu of pharmaceutical treatments that could be tailored to individual needs. As more medications become available, people may be able to try multiple medications to find which they respond to best.

Press Play for Advice On Finding Help for Alcohol Addiction

From the beginning, the ARISE Intervention aims to involve the affected individual in a secure and comfortable environment with complete transparency, utmost respect, and compassion. By Buddy T

Buddy T is a writer and founding member of the Online Al-Anon Outreach Committee with decades of experience writing about alcoholism. Because he is a member of a support group that stresses the importance of anonymity at the public level, he does not use his photograph or his real name on this website. Natural consequences may mean that you refuse to spend any time with the person dependent on alcohol. Often, in trying to “help,” well-meaning loved ones will actually do something that enables someone dependent on alcohol to continue along their destructive paths. Make sure that you are not doing anything that bolsters their denial or prevents them from facing the natural consequences of their actions.