Alcoholic Intervention: How It Can Help Alcoholics

Medically Reviewed By Kayla Loibl | Last Edited : December 02,
2020 | 4 Sources

An Alcoholic Intervention is when you employ the services of a professional to help somebody realize the depth of their alcohol problem.
How does it work exactly?

There are some alcoholic individuals who are successfully able to completely remove alcohol from their life altogether and of their own free will, even without alcoholic intervention. However a majority of individuals that are alcoholics will need some type of alcoholism intervention before they are able to achieve the goals that they have set to recover from the addiction of alcohol.

Why an Alcoholism Intervention?

There are many times that this comes in the form of worried and caring partners or members of the family that are concerned about the overall well-being of the individual that has formed an addiction to alcohol.

Alcohol problems impact not only those struggling with substance abuse, but also the families of the user. Nonetheless, it’s sometimes difficult to help a loved one struggling with alcohol addiction. Many a spouse or family member would like to convince their loved one that there is a problem with the amount of alcohol that they consume. Yet, they are unwilling or unable to do so for two major reasons:

Because of their emotional attachment to the alcoholic.
Because their relationship with the addict is already so strained that they do not wish to risk any further harm to it.

That is why they contact a professional to try and get through to the alcoholic they love. This is called an alcoholic intervention.

What is an Alcoholic Intervention Exactly?

An alcoholic intervention utilizes peer pressure to motivate an addict to admit to their problem and seek proper treatment. In an intervention, a group of family and close friends gather together, and the assembly is oftentimes a surprise to the addict. Every member of the gathering outlines the ways where he or she has been harmed or put in danger by the addict's addiction, implored with the addict to go into treatment, and then enumerate the repercussions for not seeking proper treatment.

Many of professional interventionists have had years of experience in alcoholism intervention. They often know how to help a person take the first step in recognizing that there is indeed an addiction problem causing interference in their life. Not only in their life but in the lives of their family members also.

When an alcoholic intervention has been planned, it is very important do a little research on the various types of options for treatment that are available.

It is important to note that the success of treatment is totally dependent on the alcohol dependent person. If they don't really want to give up drinking, then they won't.

Planning and Researching Treatment Centers and Specific Needs

There are some cases that may require the expertise and services of a facility that offers in-patient treatment options.

In other cases a facility that provides out-patient care may be sufficient.

There are also other factors that should be taken into consideration when alcoholism intervention is required and would include details in regards to the admission procedures, medical conditions that may need to be considered, and the specific type of insurance coverage that will be used.

Also the age of the drink dependent will need to be considered. There are different treatment options for teenage alcoholism, adult alcoholism and elderly alcoholism.

The particular needs of the individual are very important. They will be used a great deal to determine the specific type of facility that will offer the most benefit and success.

Then the appropriate alcohol treatment facility will be selected and agreed upon by each of the individuals that are involved in the alcoholic intervention.

The specialists and director of the treatment facility will usually discuss the specific treatment plan that will best fit the individual's needs.

Obviously these factors vary from treatment center to treatment center, but the alcoholic seeking help will always be the priority.

They will generally inform everyone that support from friends and family members throughout the entire process will add to the success of the alcoholism intervention.

If you or someone close to you wants help and advice on quitting drinking then take a look at the following pages:

Lead Writer/Reviewer : Kayla Loibl

Licensed Medical Health Professional

Hello!

I am a Mental Health Counselor who is licensed in both New York (LMHC) and North Carolina (LCMHC). I have been working in the Mental Health field since 2015. I have worked in a residential setting, an outpatient program and an inpatient addictions program. I began working in Long Island, NY and then in Guelph, Ontario after moving to Canada. Read More

Sources:

PubMed. Family interventions in the treatment of alcohol and drug problems. July 2005. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16234133/

NCBI. CHAPTER 4EARLY INTERVENTION, TREATMENT, AND MANAGEMENT OF SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK424859/

Mayo Clinic. Interventio n: Help a loved one overcome addiction. July 20, 2017. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/mental-illness/in-depth/intervention/art-20047451

Psychology Today. Drug and Alcohol Interventions: Do They Work?. August 27, 2014. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/when-your-adult-child-breaks-your-heart/201408/drug-and-alcohol-interventions-do-they-work

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