Drug Intervention For Teens

The importance of drug intervention for teens

It is important to realize that the function, purpose, and ultimate goal of drug intervention for teens is to get the addicted individual to realize that they are not only destroying themselves, but the people around them as well. However, admitting to having a problem is only the first step. They also need to seek out a treatment and recovery center that offers a program which will rid them of their addictions so that they remain substance-free for life.

Team member requirements to consider

There are certain goals that the team members involved in drug intervention for teens need to be aware of, but the foremost consideration is the fact that they need to know how to tell the addicted individual how their self-destructive behavior has affected them personally. And they need to do this calmly, kindly, and with love if they have any hope of reasoning with the individual.

choosing the right drug intervention for teens

We know that choosing the right drug intervention for teens to help you and the suffering individual is not always an easy task. There are a lot of choices out there and not every one of these will suit the needs of the individual in question. The important thing to realize is that an intervention conducted by a certified and trained professional is successful 96% of the time when it comes to getting the addicted individual to admitting to a problem and then doing something about it in order to help themselves. One of our trained professionals will be more than willing to answer any questions that you may have.

The history of drug intervention for teens

Vernon Johnson, an Episcopalian priest and recovering alcoholic, is considered to be the father of modern drug intervention for teens. Johnson wound up devoting his life to alcohol addiction treatment and recovery. From his work, further fine-tuning of the intervention process was done to accommodate a variety of addictions besides alcohol and drugs. Some other addictions that may require a drug intervention for teens:
  • Addictions to pornography
  • Computer and/or video game addictions
  • Gambling addictions
  • Behavioral disorders
Johnson’s core beliefs about drug intervention for teens was being able to reach out to the addicted individual before he or she hit rock bottom therefore preventing their lives from literally being torn to shreds. He began conducting what he called “interventions” in his church as of 1962. These were informal meetings which involved the addicted individual’s family, friends, and even their fellow co-workers. They all met together in order to talk to the individual regarding their concerns about their alcohol (or drug) addiction, self-destructive behavior, and the damage it was causing the other individuals participating in the drug intervention for teens, hence the birth of the terminology “family intervention.” As a result of being a priest and the fact that these interventions produced positive results, Johnson created a network which saw his program spread throughout the Midwest and eventually the entire US.

drug intervention for teens strategies

The type of strategy that drug intervention for teens employs is going to vary from one individual to the next since no 2 are ever alike. Family members, friends, and loved ones can help the addicted individual provided they are focused on the needs of the addicted individual. Typically, there are three stages involved in a successful drug intervention for teens. These include:
  1. The Assessment Stage – there are certain aspects involved in this stage which include the interventionist learning as much as possible about the individual in question, as well as the substance they are abusing and addicted to. There are a number of questions that need to be answered such as:
    • Who will be attending the intervention?
    • Who will be responsible for paying for the service?
    • What facility will facilitate the individual’s treatment and recovery needs the best?
    • Will insurance coverage be involved?
  2. The Orchestration Stage – this usually involves the actual drug intervention for teens wherein the family members, friends, loved ones and the family interventionist are involved with the addicted individual. During the process, it is necessary to remember that all of the members in the group should not display any negative reactions to the addicted individual’s reactions. The addicted individual might or might not react angrily and get abusive or violent, but never rule out those possibilities. Educating the members of the intervention group as to how to deal with these situations is critical.
  3. Successful Completion of drug intervention for teens – the real measure of success with any drug intervention for teens strategy is how effective the process was at getting the individual to admit that they have a problem. Additionally, that success is also measured by the fact that they immediately seek help by enrolling in a treatment and recovery center which targets their individual needs.

the overall goal of drug intervention for teens

It is important to realize first and foremost that the overall goal of conducting any type of drug intervention for teens is the confronting of the addicted individual in a manner that is non-threatening and allows or enables them to see that their behavior is self-destructive. Additionally, the secondary goal is that the addicted individual needs to see how destructive their behavior is to family members, friends, and even their fellow employees. The ultimate goal of the drug intervention for teens is that the individual accepts the fact that he or she does have a problem and that they need to seek help immediately.