What is a drug or alcohol intervention?
Drug and alcohol intervention is a useful technique used for confronting loved ones who have a substance abuse problem. It is usually done by a group of people that are close to the person addicted to drugs or alcohol, to give overwhelming influence to that person so that they realize that they need help. Often the group of people have all been affected negatively in some way by the person's drug or alcohol abuse. A useful technique is to go around in a circle and have each person from the group tell the drug or alcohol addict how they were negatively affected by their problem and why they wish that person would stop and get help.
Interventions are best conducted under the guidance of an experienced professional counselor or psychiatrist. These counselors, also called interventionists, lead the group in exactly what to do. There is first a preparation and rehearsal process which prepares the group for the actual intervention, where the process is explained and group members write letters detailing their negative experiences with the drug or alcohol user.