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Because individuals suffering from alcoholism and
other addictions are prone to serious denial about the harmful effects of their
behavior on themselves and others, efforts to reason with them and to convince
them to stop causing such harm are frequently met with denial, defensiveness,
justification or minimization, and even attacks upon the messenger of what to
the alcoholic or addict is bad news: that his addictive behavior is irrational
and harmful and therefore must be curtailed.
Talking to such alcoholics and addicts in a
rational and objective fashion is therefore often useless or even
counterproductive. In other cases the alcoholic-addict may agree with
observation that his behavior is harmful to himself and others, may agree with
the need for change, and in some cases even make an attempt to relinquish or
moderate his addiction. But this is often followed by relapse and a repetition
of the same cycle, sometimes up to dozens of times and extending over a period
of years. Such people manifest remorse, guilt, and a passionate determination to
"do better next time," or they say that "it will never, ever
happen again." But the behavior recurs in spite of their apparent insight
and desire to behave differently.
Those around such addicts become frustrated,
angry, depressed and often hopeless. They are usually well aware that something
is seriously wrong and that the alcoholic or addict desperately needs help. But
they are baffled and helpless as to what to do when, as is all too often the
case, the alcoholic-addict insists that he is just fine, that everything is
under control, or that if in fact there is a very small problem, he himself is
well aware of it and fully prepared to take care of it on his own resources. He
does not, he assures anxious friends and family members, need any help. If they
continue to press the point he becomes defensive and often angry and may begin
to point out their own shortcomings, to drag up old conflicts, or simply walk
out in a huff – usually to engage in still more addictive behavior in
consequence of his resentment and self-pity for being so grossly misunderstood
and badly treated as to be told that he has a serious problem for which he needs
professional help!
The turmoil caused by alcoholism and other
addictions can be considerable - and it tends to get worse rather than better
over time. Addiction causes people who are not naturally that way to become
progressively more self-centered, inconsiderate, dishonest, defensive and
suspicious. They may experience unpredictable mood swings, outbursts of
emotional and sometimes physical violence, and make major decisions without
adequate consultation or forethought. They come more and more to act like the
proverbial loose cannon and can cause a great deal of destruction not
only in their own lives but in the lives of others. Such people are correctly
said to be out of control -–and those who care about them often do not
know what to do but stand helplessly by and watch as they create more and more
problems for themselves and everyone else, praying that the outcome will not be
a fatal one and that sooner or later the afflicted individual will hit bottom or
otherwise come to his senses and either stop his destructive behavior on his own
or seek professional assistance for doing so.
The technique of intervention gives those
who care about the alcoholic-addict a tool and a forum by which they can express
their concern in a structured, focused format that often leads to the first step
in the direction of recovery. A well-organized and properly conducted
intervention has been the gateway through which many an alcoholic-addict has
passed from a deteriorating existence of addictive misery to a lifetime of
healthy and rewarding sobriety.
An intervention consists of a group of friends,
family, co-workers or other important people in the alcoholic-addict's life who
present in a non-accusatory way their observations and concerns about the
individual's behavior as a result of his alcohol or drug use. This is done in a
controlled, objective, and systematic fashion in order to overcome the denial
and minimization of the addict and to present a unified front of support and
care as the plea and recommendation is made by all present for the addict to get
some help to stop his self- and frequently other- destructive behavior with
substances.
The classic book on intervention is Intervention:
A Step-by-Step Guide for Families and Friends of Chemically Dependent Persons,
by Vernon E. Johnson, D.D.(Hazelden, 1989). Barely 100 pages and written in
clear and simple terms, this little book gives an excellent description of the
disease of chemical dependency as well as a practical account of the theory and
practice of intervention. Written by the leading pioneer and exponent of
intervention and the founder of the Johnson Institute, this is the best
introduction to the topic available.
"Intervention is a process by which the
harmful, progressive, and destructive effects of chemical dependency are
interrupted and the chemically dependent person is helped to stop using
mood-altering chemicals and to develop new, healthier ways of coping with his
or her needs and problems. It implies that the person need not be an emotional
or physical wreck(or "hit bottom") before such help can be
given." From Intervention,
by Vernon E. Johnson.
Treatment for the alcoholic or other chemically
dependent is sometimes unnecessarily and dangerously delayed because of the
false belief that the addicted individual must first "hit bottom" and
thus "want to get better" before he is ready for help. The purpose of
the intervention method is to break through the alcoholic's powerful denial and
avoidance defenses -defenses that have been patiently and carefully built up and
strengthened over a number of years in most cases- and to connect him at least
temporarily with the reality of his condition so that he will accept the help
that everyone but himself is well aware that he needs. The collective feedback
of people who know him well, who have observed and can describe the effects of
alcohol or other drugs upon his personality and behavior, and the effects that
these effects have had upon them, is a powerful, if usually only
temporary, antidote to the strange lack or loss of contact with reality
that is called denial.
A properly done intervention is confronting but
it is also deeply caring and supportive. Each participant first affirms the
worth of the alcoholic and their positive feelings for him, which in fact is the
only reason they have agreed to participate in the intervention. If they didn't
care about him they would just leave him alone and let him destroy himself. But
because they do care they supply him with their factual observations of how he
has behaved -and frequently misbehaved- due to alcohol or drugs. One by one and
in non-judgmental, factual terms they describe to him actual negative
experiences that they have had with him because of his drinking or drug use.
There is never any shortage of these when one is dealing with the kind of
alcoholic or addict for whom intervention is appropriate. The cumulative effect
of these descriptions, coming as they do from people who know and care about the
alcoholic, is to hold up a mirror before him in which he is forced to see
himself as he really is and has been rather than as he mistakenly believes he
is.
The aim of most interventions is to get the
alcoholic or addict immediately into a treatment program of some kind.
Experience shows that promises of reform, sincere and often tearful as they may
be at the time, seldom hold up down the road without ongoing assistance of some
kind. A well-planned intervention has arranged the specific treatment in
advance, taken care of all practical objections, and even packed the alcoholic's
suitcase so that he can be driven straight to the hospital or to the airport to
fly to the hospital. Other arrangements besides inpatient hospitalization may be
chosen in particular cases, e.g. outpatient treatment and/or AA.
Although Vernon Johnson's book Intervention
is intended as a how-to-do-it-yourself guide for family and friends to conduct
an intervention without professional assistance, it is almost always preferable
to secure the help of a trained interventionist who is also an expert in
chemical dependency in setting up and conducting an intervention. This makes
matters much easier for all concerned and relieves the already stressed and
anxious family of the burden of having to learn how to do something that is for
them very difficult and frightening: confront the person they care about with
the destructive effects of his addiction in a way that both gets his attention
and convinces him to get immediate help for his problem. Interventionists who
have done this procedure hundreds or even thousands of times have learned the
fine points and tricks of the process and know the best and most effective way
to organize, conduct and conclude the intervention.
There are many excellent interventionists in
Georgia. We especially recommend Henry B. Troutman, J.D., CAC
II, (843)785-5464.
Mr. Troutman is a retired attorney and a Certified Addictions Counselor with an
extensive knowledge of chemical dependency and its impact on families. He has
done hundreds of interventions and is always available to discuss a case with
concerned family and to assist in the organization and execution of the
intervention when he feels it is the appropriate thing to do.
The links below will connect you
to other sources of information about intervention on the web. The following
books also deal with chemical dependency and intervention:
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