Warning Signs
People who are abusing drugs or alcohol almost always display certain behavioral characteristics that may worry and alert their friends and family. Some of the most common warning signs include:
- Abrupt changes in work or school attendance and quality of work
- Unusual outbreaks of temper or emotion
- Withdrawal from responsibility
- General changes in overall attitude
- Wearing of sunglasses at inappropriate times
- Reluctance to wear short sleeves
- Association with known substance abusers
- Unusual borrowing of money
- Stealing of small items from employer, home, or school
- Secretive behavior
If you are worried about someone you know who is displaying some or any of these behaviors, confrontation in the form of substance abuse intervention may be the right choice. Interventions have proven to lead to progress in many cases where no other approaches were effective despite the best efforts of those involved.
Formal Interventions
An intervention is generally defined as a deliberate process by which change is introduced into people’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. A formal substance abuse intervention usually involves one or more people preparing and confronting a person whom they see suffering from substance abuse. The objective of any effective intervention is for the abuser to accept help and begin to restore his or her quality of life to its state prior to the substance abuse.
Interventions can be staged by a family or group of friends alone, who determine a place and time for a serious discussion and gather information about how the substance abuser can obtain help and be rehabilitated. There are also many programs around the world that can provide information and help in planning an intervention. Many treatment and rehabilitation centers provide information and help with the actual intervention as well. Professional interventionists often help friends and family of an abuser plan and conduct an intervention.
People who decide to stage a substance abuse intervention can expect at the very least for the relationships between the abuser and all of his or her loved ones to change, most likely for the better. Whether the abuser accepts help and enters treatment or not, he or she will recognize that the loved ones who intervened care and want to help the abuser become rehabilitated. If the abuser does enter treatment, in time it can be expected that the abuse will stop for good and the person will come to lead a much healthier, happier life. The quality of life of those around the abuser will improve as well as tensions abate and honesty in confronting problems prevails.
There are many treatment and rehabilitation centers around the world and even more networks of support groups for both substance abusers and their loved ones. In the United States, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration can help you locate facilities near you.
If you are worried about someone you love whom you suspect of drug or alcohol abuse, and would like to begin the healing process for everyone involved, substance abuse intervention may be the answer you are looking for.
By Kristin Cleveland