Building Bridges To Recovery

A successful drug or alcohol intervention has three critical ingredients. The first ingredient is choosing the right interventionist. Spencer Interventions has a diverse staff to meet a variety of client needs. We can match the interventionist with your circumstances and will select a staff member your loved one or co-worker/ employee can relate to. The second ingredient is your willingness to confront the addict, with the help of the interventionist, in a loving and rigorously honest manner. The third ingredient is your commitment to follow through with consequences for the addict if he should decide not to accept help through the intervention.

With these ingredients in place, our interventionists will walk with you through a 10 Step process which forms the basis for all interventions:

Alcohol and Drug Intervention Guideline #1: Don't protect the addict or alcoholic
Attempts to make excuses or bail out an addict can backfire. Letting them experience the consequences of their own actions can often help motivate the addict to stop using drugs.

Alcohol and Drug Intervention Guideline #2: Don't enable the addict or alcoholic
Never reward an addict by paying bills, bailing them out of jail, letting them stay for free or ignoring their negative behaviors.

Alcohol and Drug Intervention Guideline #3: Find the right time to approach
Select a time to talk with the addict when he is sober. Arranging the intervention shortly after the immediate effects of a drug or alcohol binge have worn off often is suggested. The entire intervention party needs to be focused and calm.

Alcohol and Drug Intervention Guideline #4: Find strength in numbers
Enlist the support of family members, relatives and friends in confronting the addict as a group, selecting one person to be the initial spokesperson. Remember, the idea is to make it safe for him to come clean and seek help.

Alcohol and Drug Intervention Guideline #5: Be honest
Tell the addict or alcoholic that you are concerned about his addiction and want to be supportive for him while he gets help. Support your concern with examples of the ways in which his abuse has caused problems for you, the family or the workplace, including any recent incidents.

Alcohol and Drug Intervention Guideline #6: Set consequences for not getting help
Make sure the addict knows that until they get help, you will leave them to the consequences of their behavior and will no longer bail them out. They need to know that any support you are offering them that may be enabling their addictive behavior is going to stop. There may also be other consequences which could include their spouse leaving, the police stepping in or the loss of their job. Make it clear that you are not trying to punish the addict, but protecting yourself and other loved ones from the harmful effects of addiction.

Alcohol and Drug Intervention Guideline #7: Listen to the addict
During the intervention, the addict might ask questions regarding potential treatment. Listen! These questions are a sign that they are reaching for help.

Alcohol and Drug Intervention Guideline #8: Be prepared
If the addict is ready to take action, don't wait. Once he's agrees to go into rehab, work immediately to get him admitted into rehab. Prior to the drug intervention, pack him a bag, make travel arrangements and ensure they have acceptance into a good drug rehab program.

Alcohol and Drug Intervention Guideline #9: Find a reputable rehab facility
In most cases the short term goal of an intervention is to get the addict into a rehab center. Our interventionists can help identify the right facility for you, help you make arrangements to admit the addict and even accompany the addict to the facility.

Alcohol and Drug Intervention Guideline #10: Don't give Up
An addict will typically refuse help time and time again. If the addict refuses help, don't give up. Be supportive and don't enable or allow their behavior. Listen whenever you can and be ready to help the addict into a recovery program when they are ready.

For more information on how we can help you set up an alcohol or drug intervention for your loved one Please call us now. Our professional and caring alcohol and drug intervention specialists are available 24 hours a day for a confidential and free consultation. They're waiting for your call.

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