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The caregiver should learn about and implement
"interventions."
___1.) INITIATE
AN "INTERVENTION" An
"intervention" is when friends, family and/or church leaders talk to the person
about his/her alcohol or drug use. There are two types of intervention: informal (a personal discussion)
and a
structured (a planned group meeting). Informal
interventions occur regularly during the interviewing process as
caregivers confront
the substance abuser and his/her friend or relative about inappropriate
behavior. A structured intervention brings a group of people together with the
substance abuser to explore how the abuse has affected all their lives.
Ideally, a structured intervention is to have the substance abuser to start
treatment immediately! The point of any intervention is to ask the person
to take concrete steps to address the problem and to attach a consequence if the behavior is not performed.
___2.) AS NEEDED INITIATE A STRUCTURED INTERVENTION. Typically a
structured intervention requires a facilitator. A healthcare professional from a
nearby treatment center or even a religious caregiver can act as the
facilitator. Regardless of who might facilitate the family
intervention meeting the following are guidelines to follow:
• Bring together the people most significant to the
abuser (three to six is best, no younger children).
• In any intervention, it's important to approach
the substance abuser when s/he is not high or drunk (and when you are not
extremely upset).
• Cite specific incidents resulting from the
person's substance abuse. ("You were recently arrested for DWI.")
• Stick to what you know firsthand, not hearsay.
• Talk in "I statements," explaining how the
person's behavior has affected you. ("When you drive drunk, I don't sleep all
night.")
• Rehearse the intervention at least once. Deciding
who is going to say what to the substance abuser.
• Be prepared for denial, anger and resentment.
• Identify the objections you might hear from the
substance abuser, and be prepared to answer each one.
• Have specific information (e.g. names, phone numbers, appointments) for treatment alternatives. Ideally, make all
arrangements for the person to begin treatment immediately following the
intervention. • Decide what consequences you're prepared to follow through with
if the person refuses to enter treatment.
Don't wait for the substance abuser to "bottom out,"
have a car crash, or develop some serious health problem before you address it.
Remember, addiction is treatable. For more detailed information
concerning a structured intervention for a substance abuser read "Resource Manual for Helping Families with Alcohol Problems" from
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' Distribution Center at
1-800-537-5971 or E-mail:
ldscatalog@ldschurch.org
Item #34230000. |
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