Interventions come in all shapes and sizes. There are screening and brief interventions performed by doctors and other healthcare professionals each day, along with family interventions, law enforcement interventions and other means of trying to get people to stop their destructive behavior with drugs and alcohol.

Probably the most common, and also the most effective, are the ones that use intervention specialists. These professionals work with individuals and families all over the country to help get people back on the right path. The overwhelming majority of these (around 90 percent) result with the addicted person going into the chosen rehab program and the friends and family having a better understanding of their roles as well.

Most professional interventionists will work with family members both before and after the actual day of the intervention. They need to find out as many details about the person and situation as possible to help formulate the plan, and they also use the time to help educate them all more about addiction, treatment and the commitment to recovery that they all must make.

Some intervention specialists work in different ways, as there are multiple methods that are routinely used across the field. The one we see most often includes letters from family members that are read aloud to the person needing treatment, and then the delivery of the “bottom lines” if their loved one refuses help.

Once the addicted person agrees to accept the help that is being offered, the interventionist often escorts him or her to the rehab center directly so there is less chance of something else getting in the way. For many people, this can be crucial, as there is typically a limited time frame where this needs to happen.

If you have a family member or friend who has a substance abuse problem and you want to know more about interventions and rehabilitation programs, contact us today.