Intervention Strategies

INTERVENTION STRATEGIES

A successful Intervention is based on three keys:

1) Common sense
2) Open and honest communication
3) Compassion

What to do and what not to do for intervention:

DO

Use a written outline or letter to organize your thoughts
Detail specific examples (no set number required) - These examples should be related directly to alcohol/drug use. Each example should describe:
a) What happened
b) When the episode occurred
c) Where the incident took place
d) Who was present
d) The impact it had on the observer

Prepare in advance a list of potential excuses and alibis, for the behavior, and be prepared to address them;

Have a specific plan of action worked out in advance, that you are going to ask the individual to follow:

a) Prepare a list of potential excuses and alibi, s and be prepared to address them

Be prepared to define clear expectations for how family, friends or the employer will deal with the individual if
he/she refuses to seek help;

Begin the letter with "The letter of Concern", a statement of the writer feels about the individual aside from the addiction

DON' T

Diagnose the person
Make threats that you are not prepared to follow though on
Forget that the individual is responsible for getting help

Basics of Addiction - a Treatable Disease

General Information about Chemical Dependency

Primary Illness
There may be associated problems (ie: medical complaints, depression etc.) but until the chemical dependency is addressed, the other problems cannot be effectively resolved.

Progressive Illness

The illness will with time become worse. Almost all chemically dependent person’s exercise some measure of control over their addictive use until the day they die.

Chronic Illness

There is no know cure for chemical dependency. Numerous treatment strategies have attempted to identify a model to teach alcoholics to drink socially (never heroin addicts to shoot heroin socially). To date, no methodology has been able to clinically prove long term success.

Fatal Illness

Chemical dependency is thought to be the third most deadly illness. It is a contributor to illnesses such as cirrhosis of the liver; heart disease; liver cancer; automobile accidents; and domestic violence.

Phases of Use:

Experimentation
Social/recreational use
Abuse
Dependency

When to Intervene

When Should You Intervene?
1. Is the use of alcohol and/or other drugs causing problems in:
_____ Work or School (lost time, lower productivity or grades, warnings or suspensions)
_____ With the law (arrests for DUI or drug related charges)
_____ Family finances (income cannot be accounted for, bills unpaid etc)
_____ The health of the user (serious physical problems such as insomnia, bloody noses, weight changes, delusions)
_____ Family gatherings and/or Social settings (fights, change of social group in favor of drinking or drug using friends)
_____ Emotional stability (wide mood swings, over reacts to minor set backs)
*****
2. Is Chronic Pain causing the person you are concerned about to:
_____ Use someone else’s prescriptions
_____ Use more than prescribed, or for pain that hasn’t started yet?
_____ Have more than 1 doctor prescribing,
_____ Overstated symptoms to get meds.
Following a drinking or other drug-using episode by the person you are concerned about,
have you felt:
　
_____ Embarrassed or afraid of what others might think
_____ Scared
_____ Upset or angry
_____ If you were a better parent/spouse/friend, it wouldn’t have occurred
_____ Confused about what to do
Have there been:
_____ Family fights (separations or threats of divorce, young adults thrown out of the home)
_____ Promises or attempts to quit or control the chemical use
_____ Attempts by family members to control the chemical use (extracting promises, hiding the chemicals or alcohol, using with them to show its impact)
If you have answered yes to more than three of these questions, you will have enough information to intervene.

(c) M.D. Meagher 1987