Who Should I Involve When I Stage an Intervention?

Drug and alcohol addiction is an issue that causes problems for everyone around the addict. Friends, co-workers, and family can be severely impacted by the behavior of an addict who is out of control. Between the lies, stealing, and other detrimental behavior, the family and friends of an addict often find themselves at the end of their rope.

If you are dealing with addiction in your family or life, then you may be considering staging an intervention in the near future. When you are wondering who you should involve when holding an intervention, it can be difficult to know who should and shouldn’t make the cut. Read on to learn more about intervention and how to handle one.

What is an Intervention?

Unfortunately, many addicts do not understand how their behavior is affecting the people around them. Some simply don’t care. The addiction has taken over their lives, and the only thing that matters at this point is the drugs they are taking or the alcohol they are drinking. If someone you love or care about is an addict, you may have already tried to talk to them about their problem to no avail. Most addicts become defensive, hostile, and mad when confronted with their problems. In many cases, an intervention will be the final straw.

An intervention is a group of friends, family members, and co-workers who gather together at a set time and place to confront an addict. It is a time to talk to the addict one-by-one to discuss the ways their addiction is affecting everyone. Everyone will get a chance to confront the person in a calm, loving manner. It’s important to keep an intervention quiet. If the addict finds out one is about to happen, he or she may very well not show up.

Who Should be There?

Knowing who to invite to intervention is the first part of staging one. You need to invite everyone you can, especially if the addict is still working and making a living. Let’s look at who should go:

Family- Your family should be as involved as possible in an intervention. Anyone close to the addict should be given a chance to talk to them about their behavior. Parents, grandparents, children, and siblings should all gather to participate. However, younger children may need to be excused from the intervention if they are not old enough to understand what is going on. If the addict is close to other relatives, such as aunts, uncles, and cousins, they can also be involved. When you are putting together the intervention, make a list of family members who you know the addict loves and trusts.

Friends- Close friends of the addict should always be invited to the intervention. If you aren’t sure of their friends, find at least one and reach out to him or her. They may be able to connect you with other friends who will be eager to help out.

Co-workers- Inviting the co-workers of the addict can be a tricky situation and should be done on a case-by-case basis. If their co-workers already know about the addiction and can be of help, then they can be invited. However, many addicts keep their addiction secret from the people they work with. If this is the case, you may want to keep the list to just close family and friends.

Invite People You Can Trust

Above all, it is important to invite people you can trust. During an intervention, tempers flare and things can get heated. An intervention is not the time to be mad or accusatory to the addict. Instead, make sure everyone is on the same page before the big day. You’re there to help the addict see that they have a problem and that you all simply want to help. Don’t be angry or judgmental. However, it is very important to be open and honest about how their addiction has made you feel and how it has affected you. If you are putting together an intervention, let everyone know that you will be the moderator. That way, if the situation starts spiraling out of control, everyone will know to listen to you.

We are Here to Help

If you have other questions concerning an intervention, we can help. We’ll give you some helpful instructions and tips for staging the best intervention for your loved one. When you are ready, just call us at 833-610-1174 to learn more. Our dedicated staff is always ready and willing to help, day or night.