If someone you love has a drinking problem, you may be wondering how long to wait before considering something like an intervention to get them to accept help. You may have heard that someone with a substance abuse problem has to “hit bottom” before they can get treatment and that they need to be “ready” or the there is no point in bringing up the subject. Alcohol interventions can be helpful for getting a loved one to get help for a chemical dependency, and there is no advantage in waiting to schedule one.
Why “Hitting Bottom” Doesn’t Have to be an Issue
Your idea of “hitting bottom” in an addiction may be quite different from your loved one’s definition of reaching the point where they feel they have had enough of dealing with their addiction. For someone looking at the situation from the outside in, the bottom may be losing a job, being arrested for a DUI offense or serious financial issues caused by drinking. This may not be the case for the person with the drinking problem. They continue to drink despite the consequences of their addiction.
Scheduling an intervention is a way to “bring the bottom up” without giving the addiction any more time to grow stronger. It gives the family the opportunity to take control of the situation, as opposed to waiting for the addict to decide when they are ready to go for treatment.
Goals of an Intervention
The main goal of an intervention is to get an addict into treatment. It is accomplished by helping them face the effects of the addiction, which they may not have been doing up to the present time. Once the addict has accepted that the present situation cannot continue and they need treatment, the interventionist will explain the treatment that is available.
The family should have a bed reserved in a treatment center in advance so that their loved one can leave the intervention and go directly to treatment if they agree to get help.
The intervention can also provide information and support to the addict’s family. Addiction is a disease that affects the people closest to the addict, and they often need therapy as well in order to deal with the damage caused by the addiction.
Contact us today if you’re looking for an alcohol interventionist and need help finding a reputable rehabilitation center.
