Family Intervention is one of the most effective means of helping someone who is in denial of their need for help. In fact, 80% enter treatment as the result of an intervention.
With such high success rates why don’t more people choose this effective form of help over waiting for the addicted loved one to hit bottom? Often family members think there is nothing they can do. Intervention is the answer to the question: What can I do, they don’t want help?
Addiction is an insidious disease. It’s a cunning, baffling and powerful process . Denial of the problem and the need for help are primary features of the disease.
No one is immune . Family members,friends and professionals are all affected by denial. Denial is a normal human adaptive function. It helps us filter and soften what is often overwhelming. While it has its adaptive function, it also can become fixed and rigid preventing us from taking constructive action. This is what happens in addiction. Fortunately with the help of a qualified interventionist , Denial becomes a starting point instead of a stopping point.
The delusional system in addiction has three layers. Normal defenses, memory distortions and enabling. Working with families by Intervening on the enabling system becomes the starting point. The role of the interventionist is to assess the denial system in both the family and the substance user on all three levels and empower the family to get there loved one into treatment.
Even if you decide against an intervention you can take action. Learning more about the disease and how to take care of yourself is the key. Family members can attend a family program, Attend Alanon meetings or get support from an addiction counselor. Your well being does not depend on what your addicted loved one does, it depends on what you do.