Substance abuse and drug addiction are certainly not easy to deal with, especially for the family of a drug addict. Early signs of a problem present themselves in the form of constant requests for money, a defensive nature, and keeping secrets. If the drug problem continues, it may pose a serious risk to the addict's health and certain steps need to be taken to get the person clean and sober.
Sometimes one of the best courses of action in the event that a loved one is struggling with a drug addiction is to hold an intervention. Interventions are considered one of the final steps in combating a friend or family member's drug problem, and all interventions do not yield positive results.
During the early stages of substance abuse, before chemical dependency has set in, small interventions involving the closest friends and family to a drug addict are good at convincing the addict to lead a sober lifestyle. Since they still use the drug recreationally, quitting cold turkey may still be possible. If you are unsure whether it is too late for a small scale intervention, contact a licensed substance abuse counselor.
When dealing with a serious drug addiction, such as a heavy methamphetamine, cocaine, or heroin addiction, seeking the help of a substance abuse counselor and setting up an intervention with the sole purpose of getting the addict into treatment is the best course of action.
It is not uncommon for people to feel sympathetic to the condition of a drug addict. Feeling remorse is normal, but do not allow yourself to become tolerant of the addiction and enable their drug abuse. There are not many things more pathetic than an addict who has reached rock bottom, and once they do, some addicts will finally realize that they have a problem and seek help. Make sure you let the drug addict in your life know that abstaining from drug use is your number one priority. Although drug interventions often fail, abstinence is more important than anything in cases where interventions are absolutely necessary.
During the intervention, it is helpful to remember several things. One thing is that you should not be afraid to become emotional. Drug abuse and getting clean can be a life or death situation. It is for this reason that you should express every concern in your mind to your friend or family member who has a drug problem. You should also urge other intervention team members to speak their minds, although remember that drug addicts can be offended just like everyone else. Take special care to be stern yet unintimidating in your approach.
When an Intervention Fails
The risk of failure is very real when dealing with drug addicts and interventions. Always know how you plan on picking up the pieces after a failed intervention. Contacting law enforcement may be the only option available, but if at all possible convincing an addict to enter a drug addiction treatment center should remain your goal.
