Accepting that one has an addiction is the first step to a healthy recovery but getting the right treatment should be a top priority.
Unfortunately, just 1 in 10 people with substance abuse disorder receive any kind of treatment. Most patients who do get treated rely on inpatient treatment programs to get the desired results.
Getting admitted to a facility is no easy feat, and starting an intervention can feel even more overwhelming. This is especially true when an addict is in denial or refuses to accept help or treatment. However, with proper information and a solid strategy, you can change the patient’s mind.
If you or anyone in your family is considering getting addiction treatment, these FAQs can help. The list here will answer all those important questions about addiction intervention and solve every misconception. If you have any questions beyond this list, or would like more information about our programs, contact us today.
FAQ About Addiction Intervention Help
Addiction is a complex issue. Countless stressors, psychological and physical implications can influence addiction. The goal of addiction interventions are to help people overcome their addiction and lead a healthier and longer life.
To assist people with getting through these difficult times, defining a couple of factors about intervention can educate and encourage families. Here are the top FAQs that can answer all your questions.
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When is The Right Time to Intervene?
It is difficult to approach someone who struggles with addiction. Especially when that person gets violent. Around 61% of abusers have an alcohol or drug addiction, warns the U.S. Department of Justice.
Addiction can cause violent and irrational behavior, which often impairs judgment. In fact, the odds of a male intimate partner using physical aggression against their female partner is 11 times higher in alcoholic individuals. When you suspect or witness aggression, seek help immediately.
To know when the right time to intervene is, you have to wait for them to be calm, reasonable, and open to communication. If you don’t think you can handle it alone, ask an intervention specialist for help. They can help you organize the conversation and set the patient up for success.
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Isn’t It Better To Wait Until The Addict Hits Rock Bottom Before Starting An Intervention?
“Hitting bottom rock” is highly misunderstood. It allows families to continue to live in fear and avoid taking any action. What you need to know is that your loved one has already “hit bottom” – emotionally, physically, and psychologically.
Once someone gets addicted, that addiction takes control of their life, which makes it difficult to bounce back. Without treatment, they can die.
Take opioid abuse, for example. Based on a clinical analysis from 2013 to 2014, 76% of opioid overdose deaths happened in people younger than 50. While male addicts between the ages of 18 and 34 had almost 3 times higher opioid-induced death rates compared to women the same age. The death toll is even higher in patients who combine opioid abuse with other medications.
Addiction intervention controls that outcome. It helps families raise that patient from the bottom and help them get another chance at life. This is a critical step for overcoming addiction.
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What’s The Purpose of Addiction Intervention?
The primary goal of substance abuse intervention is to help patients achieve a successful recovery. With the best long-term treatment center for young adults in Texas, patients get to manage their key withdrawal symptoms, improve their health, and get their body back on track.
With intervention, patients should understand that substance abuse is putting their lives at risk, and families should encourage them to give up or reduce their substance abuse.
To achieve those results, experts will recommend a specialized drug treatment facility. This is where patients can receive behavioral therapies, medications, and specifically tailored treatment. This is a safe environment that delivers the best opportunity for recovery.
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How Long Do Interventions Last?
A brief intervention can last anywhere between 5 and 30 minutes. However, it is not uncommon for families to need multiple sessions. Sometimes convincing an addict to seek treatment takes more time and effort. Luckily, patients who misuse stimulants, like cannabis, seem to respond well to brief interventions and are easier to convince.
However, users with tobacco dependence can be a little bit more difficult to deal with. They need a motivational boost to increase their chances for abstinence. Many need intensive counseling and intervention to improve their rate of abstinence. In these cases, it’s crucial that families do multiple interventions and longer sessions.
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What’s The Typical Success Rate?
The intervention success rate will vary based on multiple factors. Studies show that alcohol interventions often result in a 20% to 30% reduction in excessive drinking. Plus, plenty of reports prove their effectiveness.
Brief interventions are helpful for alcohol addicted patients, since getting admitted to a hospital ward for treatment, helped decrease the mortality rate.
If the intervention is unplanned and forcible, it can fail. But, if you are taking the right measures, you are dedicated and persistent, it’s possible to get 100% of the results you need. Therefore, it is difficult to determine the exact estimates.
It’s safe to say that the outcome greatly depends on your approach and the addict’s disposition. The most successful intervention is direct intervention. It involves friends, family members, and loved ones who get to communicate with the addict and lay out a treatment plan.
This approach allows the patient to take a look at the bigger picture and accept the best course of action. The intervention rate for this type of approach has the highest odds of succeeding.
Once you’ve convinced the person to get the necessary treatment, you can leave the rest in expert hands. With the 45-day substance abuse treatment center for women in Texas, patients get the highest quality treatment that’s guaranteed to provide substantial results.
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How To Help Someone Who Doesn’t Want Help?
Even though drug and alcohol abuse can cause some serious health issues like disability, poor health, and mental health problems, not every addict is eager to receive treatment.
Based on 2014 data reports, about 21.7 million Americans (8.1%) at the age of 12 or older were in need of substance abuse treatment. Only 2.3 million received treatment at an inpatient clinic.
The key to inspiring them to get treated is learning to communicate and support that individual without enabling their addictive behavior. It’s important that you don’t sound too judgmental or condescending when you speak to them.
Instead, let them know that you are aware of their health issue, and you are here to help. By outlining the possible benefits, you can encourage that person to seek help. If you don’t think you can convince that person alone, then you might want to consult with an intervention specialist.
They can show you how to navigate a family member through these difficult times. But most importantly, they can help break that cycle of denial and stage a successful intervention. With proper intervention, you can get that person to obtain treatment. You can get the best long-term treatment center for young adults in Texas.
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Isn’t It Better To Just Speak With The Addict Before An Intervention?
Of course, you can. But, haven’t you done it already? You probably tried to talk with that person in many different ways. However, it often doesn’t matter how hard you try, you just can’t reach them.
Intervention is not about doing a convincing speech. It’s about changing their way of life. You set boundaries, do an impact statement, and prepare an organized approach with friends and family. These are all key components for convincing an addict to get treatment.
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How Many People Are Necessary To Do The Intervention?
It depends. It’s a good idea to have 3 to 8 people join your efforts. The more people help with the intervention, the easier it is to motivate the patient to get treatment. Those who join should be the people that the user respects, cherishes, and loves. They should have a profound impact on their lives.
That includes friends, partners, family members, doctors, co-workers, and other important people in the addict’s life. Basically, anyone who is significant in that patient’s life is worth having there. If you can’t find at least 3 people, then talk with an interventionist first. They can help you create an approach that will still leave an impact.
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How To Do An Intervention If All Family Members Live Far Away?
Sometimes making travel arrangements is necessary and worthwhile. Remember, this is a serious problem. So, having all the support you need will come in handy. Help your family arrange their schedules so that they can attend the intervention. In many cases, the more people participate, the better the chances of creating a successful intervention.
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What If The Patient Walks Out?
Every family is terrified that their loved one will walk out on their intervention. So, it’s not uncommon for you to feel that way. It happens, but it doesn’t mean you should give up. Pick 1 or 2 people from your intervention group that the addict respects and instruct them to follow the patient outside. With a loving and gentle approach, they can reassure the patient that everything is alright and motivate them to get back inside. An interventionist can help with this as well.
- What If The Family Has No Idea What The Addict is Using?
If you thought your loved one is using cocaine, but realized they’ve been taking ecstasy all this time, would that change anything? No matter the type of addiction, you should still intervene. Substance abuse can become a serious problem. It will affect the addict’s quality of life and get in the way of their daily living.
With addiction intervention, patients are given the chance to explore their reasons behind their addiction. It enables them to take a look at their problem from a different perspective. This is exactly what you want to achieve with an intervention.
You want your loved one to understand this roadblock and try to solve it. Rely on positive behavior and support, to get the patient to seek treatment. With the 45-day substance abuse treatment center for women in Texas, anyone can get an opportunity to turn over a new leaf.
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How To Tell a Child That Their Parent Needs Treatment?
It’s important that you are honest with the children, but be very careful with your choice of words. Children view the world differently. When you tell them something as serious as addiction, they will most likely blame themselves or believe they had something to do with it and trigger that addiction.
When talking to a child, reassurance should be a top priority. Let them know that they didn’t do anything wrong, and that the parent is ill and needs to get better. Remind the child that they can support their parent in achieving their goal.
Of course, a child will have plenty of questions. After all, it can be difficult for them to put all the pieces together. Make sure that you answer these questions honestly and openly. This is the best way to avoid upsetting the child.
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Isn’t Addiction Treatment Too Expensive?
According to research, substance abuse treatments (such as outpatient, residential, and inpatient treatment) are much more cost-effective compared to no treatment. The reason for that is relatively simple.
Based on reports from the National Institutes of Health, the costs of substance abuse are much higher than people think. If a person doesn’t overcome their health problem, they will keep spending an absurd amount of money to feed their addiction.
Illicit drugs, alcohol, and tobacco abuse are costing people thousands of dollars a week. Sometimes even more. In fact, in 2016, Americans spent a total of $150 billion on methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine, and cannabis. While in 2017, people spent around $158 billion on alcohol in total.
Overall, annual health care costs for tobacco abuse are costing the nation $168 billion, illicit drugs $11 billion, and alcohol $27 billion. The more severe the addiction is, the bigger the risk of developing serious health complications. In case of an overdose, patients will need medical therapy.
But, if you receive treatment, you are paying to achieve long-term results. It helps people overcome their addiction and live a healthier and longer life.
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Does Insurance Cover Intervention Services?
Health insurance doesn’t pay for intervention services, but insurance plans will cover treatment for mental health disorders, addiction, and substance abuse. Due to the Affordable Care Act, countless American adults can afford their addiction treatment. The coverage, however, will vary based on the insurance plan you have. So, check in with your insurance provider to see whether you can afford the treatment.
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Does Relapse Mean The Treatment Failed?
Around 40% to 60% of drug addiction patients experience a relapse, statistics show. When a relapse happens, many people consider the treatment a failure, but that shouldn’t be the case.
For someone to successfully manage their addiction, they will need to do continuous treatment modifications and evaluations until they find the best form of treatment. This is quite similar to managing a chronic disease.
For example, when someone takes medicine to control hypertension, the moment the symptoms subside, people think the treatment was successful. But, without proper management, the symptoms can reappear the moment they discontinue their medication.
For an addicted patient, relapse doesn’t mean failure. Instead, it means they need to adjust or reinstate their treatment. Sometimes, it can take a long time to beat the addiction. Experts, like the ones at the 45-day substance abuse treatment center for women in Texas, pick the best form of treatment. They will suggest the ideal course of action that’s less likely to fail.
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Shouldn’t The User Choose Their Own Treatment?
Addicts love shortcuts. They often choose the quickest solution with limited discomfort. That’s why many who do accept treatment, don’t want to stay in an inpatient facility. They think it’s the best way to solve the problem.
But this is not a healthy choice. Some addictions are more severe than others. So, they need rigorous treatments. An expert interventionist will help evaluate your case. If a user wants to become sober and get treatment, they will always have the opportunity to achieve that sobriety.
However, if the addiction is severe, then, the user will have to stick to these boundaries suggested by their interventionist. It’s in the patient’s best interest to seek long-term treatment so that they will experience beneficial behavioral changes.
Remember, a mind affected by substance abuse is not fit to make a life-changing decision. Their minds are distorted and don’t function properly. Therefore, to achieve the desired results, you should leave that decision in more capable hands.
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Won’t Forcing The Treatment Only Make It Less Effective?
Many people think that forcing an addict to accept help will make their treatment less effective, but that is not true. It doesn’t matter how someone gets into rehab, but what they do once they receive that treatment.
It’s a clear fact that most addicts don’t want to get treatment. So, sometimes, families have to force them to turn their life around. Experts say that individuals who are forced to go to rehab due to legal sanctions can still successfully complete their program.
But intervention doesn’t actually force someone. It’s a way of convincing the patient to find the motivation and manage that problem themselves. Instead of letting that individual make a decision, the intervention will use practical information to persuade the addict to take that step. It’s more about encouragement, rather than a forced action.
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Is It Possible To Do An Intervention for a Senior?
People underestimate addiction in seniors. When left untreated, substance abuse can lead to dementia, diabetes, and depression.
The rate of alcohol use disorders among older adults is about 22%. Even though fewer seniors are addicted to heavy drinking, they still need help. The intervention technique used on older adults is a little bit different.
When you take a look at the age difference and symptoms of addiction, it can be difficult to plan out the perfect approach, but it’s not impossible. According to experts, it’s best to be more loving when you want to help an older patient. Encourage them to get help at a treatment center.
Suggest they get individual or group-based counseling. Search for a 24/7 medical detox center near me, and look for a facility that specifically works with seniors suffering from addiction. That way, the patient will get access to proper social support, psychiatric, medical, and social resources that will benefit their treatment.
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Is There Another Treatment Option Besides The 12-Step Program?
There isn’t a “one-size-fits-all” addiction treatment. The treatment will vary based on the patient’s needs. It depends on the level of addiction, substance abuse, health issues, and psychological impact. The good thing is, other than the 12-step program, people can choose multiple options for recovery.
People can select:
- Detoxification
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)
- Rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT)
- Contingency management (CM)
- Medication treatment
Detoxification focuses on flushing out the addictive substances from the body. It’s done in a controlled and safe environment. Since withdrawal can become incredibly uncomfortable and potentially life-threatening, it’s crucial that patients detoxify in a medically supervised facility.
CBT is also effective. It’s a key treatment tool for various addiction types such as alcohol, food, and drug addiction. This therapy is meant to help patients recognize their unhealthy patterns and learn to cope with their triggers.
REBT is another practical alternative. Patients use this therapy to understand their negative emotions and thoughts. This is how they overcome the emotions of self-defeat. It’s about creating rational decisions that can help control their situation.
CM is designed to treat numerous addictions, such as tobacco, narcotics, and alcohol. This type of therapy will reinforce a patient’s positive behavior by providing them with a tangible reward. It can help prevent relapse.
Medications play a fundamental role in a patient’s recovery. When used together with behavioral therapies, medications can ease the cravings, improve mood, and control the addiction. Some FDA-approved medications, like lofexidine, can effectively beat the withdrawal and cravings in users struggling with opioid abuse. While options like acamprosate are best designed for controlling the drinking behavior.
Bear in mind that the patient’s sobriety is a top priority. Consult with a treatment expert and decide which approach would be the ideal alternative.
References
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK424859/
https://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/report_2716/ShortReport-2716.html
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK424859/
https://www.rand.org/news/press/2019/08/20.html
https://www.drugabuse.gov/drug-topics/trends-statistics/costs-substance-abuse
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4031575/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3077808/
