The history of substance abuse intervention

Vernon Johnson, an Episcopalian priest and recovering alcoholic, is considered to be the father of modern substance abuse intervention. 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 substance abuse intervention:

• Addictions to pornography
• Computer and/or video game addictions
• Gambling addictions
• Behavioral disorders

Johnson’s core beliefs about substance abuse intervention 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 substance abuse intervention, 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.

When you begin searching for substance abuse intervention, there are obviously some things that you want to consider before making your final decision. Most importantly, you want to find a professional who is not only certified and qualified to conduct an intervention, but that best serves the needs of the addicted individual. Consider investigating a number of substance abuse intervention before you make your decision to hire one in order to make sure that the addicted individual benefits the most from their assistance.

never assume positive results during substance abuse intervention

Never make the assumption that a single family intervention meeting will result positively. Sometimes, other sessions may be necessary and the skilled intervention specialist will know when this is the case. The bottom line is that they know that you have to expect the unexpected as well as negative results. It is just as foolish to believe that these negative results won’t occur.

Team member requirements to consider

There are certain goals that the team members involved in substance abuse intervention 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.

Watching a person self-destruct can be very painful

When your family member, friend, or loved one is dealing with an addiction issue, whether it is a substance addiction problem, or other type of addiction (eating, gambling, pornography, etc., it may be time to consult with a licensed professional at substance abuse intervention in order to seek out help for the suffering individual. Watching a person self-destruct by virtue of these can be very painful, and no matter what you do, sometimes it just isn’t enough. If an intervention is required, you might want to consider talking with one of our staff members to find out the best course of action.

When is a substance abuse intervention necessary?

Determining whether or not you need to hire a intervention specialist depends on a number of aspects surrounding the addicted individual and their particular circumstances. Normally, you seek out their help when you are at your wit’s end for how to get the addicted individual into an alcohol or drug rehab program. No matter how you begged or pleaded the individual to get help, they have still resisted, so chances are, pursuing the use of a substance abuse intervention may now be the proper course of action. Most professionals involved with alcohol and drug addiction will tell you that if you have already been thinking about contacting a substance abuse intervention for help that it is time for you to do this. Most people do not typically ask themselves this question unless they feel that a problem exists. It’s fairly certain that if you are considering an intervention, that the person has already damaged themselves and suffered enough, as well as how those around them have suffered with their addiction. The bottom line is that most family members and friends tolerate the addiction far too long without taking steps to help the addicted individual. In the mean time, there is a good possibility that a variety of consequences are going to occur. These could be:

• bad financial decisions
• failed relationships
• irresponsible behavior
• losing one job after another
• numerous DUI’s

Sometimes, family members and friends will attempt conducting these intervention sessions without the help of a professional. However, by the time that these people attempt this, it is too late and an intervention specialist needs to be enlisted in order to help the addicted individual. Additionally, the hiring of an intervention specialist brings with it the benefit of pre-intervention work which oftentimes ensures the best possible outcome.