1. Surround Them With Loved Ones
When someone is under the pressure of addiction or substance abuse, they ignore all of the negative consequences in pursuit of drugs or alcohol. As such, it’s vital to only include those they love or respect in the intervention. Meaningful relationships carry much more weight compared to how the individual may view themselves.
2. Choose the Right Time
Never attempt to hold an intervention when the focus of the meeting is under the influence. An impaired individual won’t be able to think clearly or react in a healthy manner. Minimizing the chances that someone will overreact during their intervention can help keep everyone safe and receptive during the process.
3. Don’t Make It a Public Event but Don’t Do It at Home
No one wants to make an intervention more uncomfortable than it has to be but staging an intervention in a loved one’s home can backfire if they can retreat to another room. There are private, more formal options available such as a doctor’s office, local rec center or nearby church.
4. Have Participants Talk in a More Effective Order
The ultimate goal of an intervention is to get the individual to agree to finding help for their substance abuse. Allow younger speakers to begin as this best captures their attention and helps showcase just how far the impact of their decisions has spread. Whoever has the closest relationship with the individual will go last to help deliver the message from the place of most concern.
5. Make Sure Everyone Is Ready
An intervention is often a highly emotional event. When participants begin speaking, it’s easy to get choked up and lose track of their words. This is often why you see interventions portrayed with speakers having a prepared piece of paper they reference. Rehearsing your speech beforehand helps you stay on script.
6. Stick To the Prepared Messages
Preparing a script for an intervention can take days of revisions and editing to get it just right. As tempting as it can be to just start speaking from the heart, this can lead to unclear messages and excess emotions that get in the way of achieving a successful intervention.
7. Practice Non-Confrontational Body Language
When an individual is the center of attention during an intervention, they can easily feel overwhelmed by everyone being there at once. Creating an inviting and safe space for them to be in can help put them at ease. Don’t cross your arms or legs, don’t clench your fists and make sure to face the individual and lean in to help them focus on you.
8. Keep Emotions Under Control
Remember, the person you’re holding an intervention for is more than the current addiction they are facing. The goal of the intervention is to help them seek out care, not to place blame or reprimand them for their actions. Don’t let their actions raise tempers or allow the intervention to come to an early end.
9. Be Ready To Try Again
Not every intervention will be successful the first time. If the individual simply walks out, don’t physically try to stop them or cause an altercation. Simply work with the group to schedule another time and work out what could have gone wrong.
10. Recruit an Interventionist When Needed
Don’t hesitate to bring in professional help for an intervention. Trained interventionists are skilled in creating ideal environments for all participants. If you want or need intervention assistance, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Baystate Recovery Services today for a free consultation.
