Teen Drug Intervention

Team member requirements to consider

There are certain goals that the team members involved in teen drug 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.

Here Are Some Questions That Need To Be Answered

  1. What needs to be done before moving forward with an intervention?
  2. When is the right time?
  3. What are the risks?
  4. How many intervention participants should there be?
  5. How should the individual be approached? What if they refuse?
  6. What if the person walks out when he or she sees the group?
  7. What if he or she will not accept treatment?
  8. if he or she does accept treatment? What happens then?
  9. The intervention is described as a process. When does the process conclude?
  10. Are interventions with teens, women, and men different?

The history of teen drug intervention

Vernon Johnson, an Episcopalian priest and recovering alcoholic, is considered to be the father of modern teen drug 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 teen drug intervention:
  • Addictions to pornography
  • Computer and/or video game addictions
  • Gambling addictions
  • Behavioral disorders
Johnson’s core beliefs about teen drug 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 teen drug 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.

What is teen drug intervention? Intervention Definition in our words….teen drug intervention is the process wherein family members, fellow employees, friends, and loved ones, under the supervision of an interventionist, confront an individual about their addiction and destructive behavior that impacts them emotionally, mentally, and physically. The ultimate goal of the intervention is that the addicted individual come to grips with their problems and seeks out help for it by entering a treatment and recovery facility.

When is a teen drug 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 teen drug 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 teen drug 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.

Function and purpose of teen drug intervention

In the simplest of terms, the function and purpose for conducting teen drug intervention is the deliberate introduction of change to a person’s behavior, feelings, or thoughts. One of the first things you need to be aware of is the fact that strong emotions are typically attached to any type of teen drug intervention, especially where alcohol and drug addiction is concerned. Interventions are characterized by several individuals that typically attend this type of event. These oftentimes include the following:
  • the addicted individual
  • the intervention professional or specialist
  • immediate family members (parents, siblings, grandparents, etc.)
  • personal friends
  • concerned fellow employees