Drug Intervention in Brownsville, TX

A drug intervention in Brownsville is a planned meeting between you and a loved one with an addiction wherein you try to convince your loved one to get help. Addiction is a chronic and progressive disease, and it will likely grow worse unless it's treated professionally, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

Unfortunately, many people who have an addiction are in denial about it, and many others are ambivalent toward recovery. If you have a loved one who needs help for an addiction but is in denial or simply refuses to seek help, an intervention can help lead them to get the treatment they need.

How Does a Drug Intervention Work?

There are a number of different models of drug intervention. The most commonly used model is the Johnson Intervention, which involves a number of steps:

Education

The first step for family members who want to hold an intervention for a loved one is education. Unless you understand how addiction affects brain function, thought patterns, and behavior, it's difficult to convince someone to get help. During this step, you'll gather information about your loved one's addiction and try to determine the extent of the problem.

Forming the Intervention Team

The second step is forming the intervention team. The team will typically consist of up to six people who are important to your loved one. These may include family members, friends, co-workers, and community leaders like a teacher or clergy member your loved one knows, loves, and trusts. It's important to avoid including anyone your loved one dislikes or who might inadvertently sabotage the intervention by getting angry or confrontational.

Deciding What to Say

Once the intervention team is formed, members will decide ahead of time what they will say to the addicted loved one. The important thing here is to stay positive. Point out and provide examples of how the addiction has affected you, and end with expressions of love and hope for the future.

Choosing Consequences

Citing consequences your loved one will face if he or she declines treatment is an important part of a successful drug intervention. Members of the intervention team choose ahead of time the consequences they will follow through with if the loved one refuses to get help for the addiction. These may include no longer giving the loved one money or asking him or her to move out of the house.

Lining Up Treatment

Team members will research and choose a treatment program for their loved one. They'll begin the admissions process and arrange for transport to the treatment facility right after the intervention.

Holding the Meeting

In most cases, the addicted loved one is called to the meeting with no advanced knowledge that it's for an intervention. The chosen spokesman of the intervention team will explain that everyone is concerned about the loved one's drug abuse. Each member of the team will speak directly to the loved one about the problems they're seeing and cite specific examples of how the addiction is causing problems. Once the team members have spoken, they will offer the opportunity for treatment right then and there, and they will explain the consequences that will occur if treatment is declined.

Professional vs. DIY Drug Intervention in Brownsville

Addiction experts recommend getting professional help for holding a drug intervention for addiction. Professional interventionists are experienced in facilitating drug interventions and can keep the conversation on track and ensure the meeting stays productive. They keep the environment calm and friendly, and they can help you convince your loved one to seek treatment.

A drug intervention in Brownsville that takes place with the help of a trained professional has a 90 percent success rate for getting a loved one into treatment, according to the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence. While many people won't think about getting help for an addiction on their own, once they hear firsthand how the addiction is affecting those they love, they often move out of denial or away from defensiveness and agree to treatment.

What Next?

If your loved one refuses to seek help for the addiction, you'll need to be prepared to follow through with the consequences you set forth in the meeting. When people have to face the natural consequences of their addiction, they're more likely to realize they need help. It may not be easy, but following through with the consequences may lead your loved one to treatment sooner rather than later.

If your loved one agrees to treatment, the hard work has only begun. Your support will be crucial for helping your loved one enjoy long-term successful recovery. Engaging in family therapy will help you repair family relationships and restore function to the family system, but family members should also seek individual therapy to learn healthy coping skills and understand how to best support their loved one in recovery. A support group for family members can also help ensure a high level of emotional and practical support in the critical early months of their loved one's sobriety. We also have other addiction treatment programs in Brownsville that may best suit the needs of a suffering addict.

A drug intervention in Brownsville may be your loved one's best chance at recovering from an addiction. One of our professional interventionists, addiction specialists, or mental health professionals can help you decide if an intervention is right for your family.

If your loved one is suffering from addiction and you wish to plan a drug intervention in Brownsville, then don't hesitate. Let us help you take the necessary steps to help your loved one make the right choice in seeking help. Call Brownsville Drug Rehab Centers at (877) 804-1531.