How to Stage an Intervention
Watching a loved one suffer through an addiction is very hard, but you’re able to help in ways you may have never thought of. Interventions aren’t new, but they tend to be misunderstood or pushed aside.
Most people will know about interventions thanks to the A&E show “Intervention.” Every episode follows a family who is struggling due to substance use disorder. It shows the family preparing for and then staging an intervention for a drug addict.
The only issue with the show “Intervention” is it makes interventions out to be a sensation or something that requires a high level of production. This isn’t the case. It’s actually relatively easy to stage an intervention.
In this resource we’ll cover the following:
- What an intervention is
- What the purpose of an intervention is
- Who would benefit from an intervention
- Tips for staging an intervention
- If the intervention doesn’t lead to treatment
- If the intervention leads to treatment
What’s an Intervention?
An intervention is the process of intervening in someone's actions. A scheduled intervention is usually implemented when someone is actively living a lifestyle that is damaging to themselves or others. And yes, they are primarily done in the case of drug use. The goal of an intervention is to help the individual feel that they’re loved and understand that they need professional treatment.
Interventions typically look like a group of family or friends getting together with a loved one suffering from a substance use disorder (SUD) and a trained professional. The person in crisis usually isn’t made aware of the intervention until they arrive. During an intervention, family and friends will share their feelings about their loved one’s substance use disorder or other addiction.
What’s the Purpose of an Intervention?
An intervention isn’t just asking someone to stop doing what they’re doing. During an intervention there are two goals:
- Urge treatment
- Show and offer support and love
The goal of an intervention could change based on circumstances. You could stage an intervention for addiction of any kind as well as behaviors, or mental health struggles.
Urge Treatment
The preferred outcome of an intervention would be your loved one seeking treatment. A major part of an intervention is urging the loved one to attend treatment.
People who are attending an intervention should urge treatment by letting the person in crisis hear the ways their disease is harming them. This could mean reminiscing about the times before and talking about difficult feelings.
Urging treatment isn’t just telling the person in crisis that they need treatment. It’s bringing them into your feelings, fears, and thoughts surrounding their problem. If they can see how their behaviors are negatively affecting them and others then they’ll be more likely to accept treatment.
Show and Offer Support and love
When done wrong, interventions can become unhelpful and littered with conflict. Expressing love and support to the person in crisis is incredibly important because, without it, they will feel exposed, isolated, and alone.
A person in crisis who only hears the negative during an intervention is less likely to pursue treatment. However, when met with compassion, empathy, and support, a person in crisis will feel more comfortable being vulnerable and increase chances of success.
Who Would Benefit From An Intervention?
Interventions are useful for a number of conditions and issues. It’s mostly used in cases of substance use disorder, but interventions can be helpful for other situations.
People Struggle With Substance Use Disorder
Those who struggle with a substance use disorder may not accept they need help. They may think they know what’s best for them or that they’re able to control their disease without help. However, that’s typically not the case.
Interventions give people struggling with substance use disorder an opportunity to make a change in their lives.
People Struggling With Behavioral Addictions
Behavioral addictions are just as harmful and difficult to overcome as substance use disorders. Addictions to behaviors such as shopping, gambling, and sex, can destroy people’s lives without the person in crisis even noticing. That’s why an intervention is a great idea for a loved one suffering from a behavioral addiction.
People Experiencing a Severe Mental Health Disorder
Addiction is not the only mental health disorder that can benefit from an intervention. People struggling with anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, and dementia can be helped with an intervention. These kinds of interventions will look different from addiction interventions and the approach should be different.
Staging an Intervention
It’s dangerous to go into an intervention without any preparation. It’s not something you can do off the cuff. Instead, interventions should be prepared for and conducted in a thoughtful and caring manner
Don’t skip these important steps before staging an intervention.
Lead With Thoughtfulness
Everything you do to set up and conduct an intervention should be done with thoughtfulness and care. While you take these steps to set up an intervention, consider what would be best for the person in crisis.
Take an empathetic approach while setting up an intervention.
Find a Trained Therapist
Interventions that include a trained professional are more successful than those without. An interventionist can make the staging process a lot easier for everyone involved. Rather than taking on the load of scheduling and planning as well as mentally preparing, you’ll be assisted throughout the entire process.
A trained therapist will be able to prepare the people going into the intervention for what is to come. They’ll also be able to give intervention tips and make sure the meeting stays on topic. It’s also helpful to have a mediator between family, friends, and the person in crisis. It is highly recommended that you seek professional help before staging an intervention.
Sequoia Behavioral Health offers referrals for interventionists who are ready and willing to assist you through the entire intervention process. Call us to learn more.
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Gather Friends and Family
The family and friends who care most about the person in crisis should be invited to the intervention. This group of people is considered the intervention team, and they play a vital role in the success of the intervention.
People invited to an intervention should be made aware of the plan before the intervention begins. This includes time, day, and also goal, who talks when, and ways they should be preparing mentally.
Everyone should prepare something to say and be ready to be vulnerable through the process.
Develop A Plan
Make a plan for the intervention well before the day comes, and work with the therapist to develop strategies depending on how things go. What’s the plan if your loved one chooses to go to treatment, and what’s the plan if things begin to go sideways?
Something else to consider is the consequences of refusing treatment. Ultimatums aren’t always helpful, but cutting off financial support or any kind of support may be necessary to not enable their behavior. Consider if anything you do enables their addiction, and consider cutting that off if they refuse treatment.
This also includes where treatment will take place. Plan ahead on expenses and packing plans to ensure the transition to treatment goes smoothly. Talk about this plan during the intervention as well. Let them know that if they accept the call to treatment, it will happen that day.
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Be Prepared For Anything
Anything can happen during an intervention so plan for anything. Your loved one might leave before anyone can say a word, or they might pursue treatment right away. Run through different scenarios with your intervention team but don’t expect anything from the day of.
Preparations for an intervention should include:
- What you’re going to say
- Who’s going to take them to treatment
- What treatment facility will they be attending
- Who will talk when
- How the person in crisis going to get to the intervention
Interventions can be emotional and difficult to sit through. Plan to experience a lot of feelings, some of which will be uncomfortable.
If The Intervention Doesn’t Lead to Treatment
You and your intervention team can try your hardest to help your loved one see that they need treatment. But even after all the planning, tears, and feelings, it might not go to plan. However, even though they haven’t decided to go to treatment, you’ve at least shown them you care.
These are some things to consider if your loved one refuses treatment after an intervention.
Follow Up on Plans
If you chose to provide consequences if your loved one did not choose treatment, follow up on them. This will be difficult, but you’ll be showing them you care by not enabling their SUDs. If you told them you won’t financially support them, don’t send them money. If you told them they’d be evicted, evict them.
Continue to Support
Support does not mean enabling. After an unsuccessful intervention, try your hardest to allow them to face the consequences. You can do this by not trying to hide their addiction.
Learn more about the difference between support and enabling by reading our article: Codependency and Enabling: What is Enabling?
There are plenty of ways to support a loved one without enabling their addiction. This can include:
- Having open and honest conversations with them about their addiction
- Asking questions about their addiction
- Enjoying healthy activities together
It’s hard to experience a loved one suffering from addiction, but by offering support and care you’ll be helping them.
If The Intervention Lead to Treatment
It is such a relief to hear your loved one in crisis accept the help they need. The whole room can take a collective sigh of relief. Most interventionists report interventions have a success rate between 80-90%.
What happens after a successful intervention is just as important as the intervention itself.
Transition to Treatment Quickly
Don’t let the commitment of treatment become stale. Get them to a planned facility as soon as possible. During the planning phase, you should have figured out who was going to drive them to treatment. Now it’s time to implement that plan and get them to treatment.
Offer Support Throughout Treatment
While your loved one is in treatment you can play a crucial role by being a part of their support team. What does it look like to support a loved one through treatment?
- Attend family therapy when able
- Communicate and be present during their time in treatment
- Have genuine talks with them about how everything is going
This can strengthen your loved one and help them with accountability even after treatment
Prepare For Their Return
Returning from treatment can be scary. Make the return easier by creating a supportive environment. This doesn’t mean hanging encouraging posters around the house but instead means removing substances from your home and anything that could trigger a craving.
Encourage positive change by making your home as supportive as possible
Celebrate
There will be setbacks on the road to recovery. However, each milestone should be celebrated with gusto. Acknowledge their hard work by being their cheerleader. Celebrating progress will reinforce positive behavior and encourage your loved one to continue their journey.
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Take Care of Yourself
You can’t support your loved one well unless you support yourself. Practice self-care in a more prescribed manner to prepare and care for yourself.
It can be an emotional roller coaster so don’t feel bad if you need help yourself. Consider professional services if you feel like your well-being is at stake.
Addiction Treatment at Sequoia Behavioral Health
Sequoia Behavioral Health is a holistic addiction and mental health treatment organization located in Mesa, Arizona. We take a holistic approach to everything we do. That means we treat the source of our patient’s mental health issues while also treating their physical symptoms.
In addition to inpatient and outpatient treatment, we offer referrals for interventions, family counseling, and long-term counseling. Let us be a part of your loved one’s recovery process by offering your family support and referrals for whatever you need.
Related Resources: Mental Health Resources for Families
