Pittsburgh Interventionist

Pittsburgh Drug and Alcohol Interventions

Drug and alcohol addiction is a serious disorder and requires treatment in a rehab center. It’s very common for an addict to refuse treatment despite the consequences of remaining addicted. If you’ve seemingly tried everything to get your loved one to seek help, consider a drug and alcohol interventionist in Pittsburgh to help you encourage your friend or family member to choose treatment over addiction.

Understanding an Intervention

These days, the word “intervention” has practically become a buzzword. Many people throw it around, and they really do not understand what it means. However, when you or someone who you love is suffering from a drug or alcohol addiction, the implications of this word can be all too close to your heart. What do you need to know about an intervention?

Make It Private

Staging an intervention is something that you might need to do for a family member or a friend. However, the more public you make it, the more adversely the individual might react. You should have a few people there who are close to the individual. Trying to convince someone to go to an inpatient treatment facility by yourself can be a challenge, and you might feel as though you are unable to take it all on by yourself. This is why having assistance is integral.

Advice from Professionals

Before you have the intervention, getting some advice from the professionals would be wise. In doing so, you can set up a plan for handling the situation. Remember, these professionals do not know the person who you are trying to save, so you need to be sure you are providing any necessary information. When you are willing to work with someone who can offer amazing advice, you can make a more positive experience for you and the person who you are trying to save from an addiction.

Letting a Professional Help You

Remember, you want to be careful with the number of people who you have in the room when you let the individual know that an intervention is going on. You know this person well, so consider how he or she might react. Even if you think you will be able to hold it together, doing so could be challenging when the moment actually comes. Therefore, having a professional there to guide you could be useful. This individual can remind you of methods to use and will be able to speak about the treatment that is offered at the facility.

Provide a Visual Representation

When you talk to a person about going into an inpatient facility, this individual might become very scared. He or she may not know what to expect, and you do not want to terrify this person from treatment that can be of great use. A wonderful inpatient treatment facility can really change a person’s view on life and on the addiction that he or she is going through. However, you do not just want to talk about it; you want to show the person what the treatment center can do. Videos, posters and pamphlets can help to accomplish that goal.

Arrange a Tour

Telling a loved one that you are just shipping him or her off to a treatment facility is really not the best way to go. Many inpatient treatment facility centers understand how sensitive people can get about these types of issues, and they know that there is a sense of fear associated with entering into such a place. Therefore, you should find out if you are able to schedule an appointment. See what can happen during that appointment and what can be done to make your loved one feel more comfortable.

Remain Strong

Remember, even though your loved one is going through a lot of serious issues, you still should not treat him or her like a little child. Yes, some guidance is going to be necessary. When you are at the facility, there are going to be an array of questions that you want to ask. You should find out the important information, but be sure to ask your loved one what he or she wants to know as well. Make this person feel an active part of the entire process to work toward the optimal levels of success.

Knowing When Your Role Lessens

At some point, you are going to have to let this person utilize all of the wonderful resources that the inpatient treatment facility has to offer. You might be tempted to contact this individual each and every day to find out what is going on. A certain level of caution and care is definitely good, and you want the person to know that you care and you are still there. Remember, though, do not smother the individual and make him or her feel like a little child.

Do Maintain Contact

This is not to say that you should stop calling your loved one or that you are never allowed to visit the inpatient facility. Find out when the appropriate times are. You might also want to speak to a counselor there to find out what a “good” amount of interaction with you is considered to be. Of course, this cannot be quantitatively measured, but it can help you to develop some general guidelines for yourself. You do still want to show support and let the person know that you will be there.

Maintaining Stability Upon Return

At some point, your loved one is going to be finished with the happenings of the inpatient treatment facility. You must remember that “curing” addiction is an ongoing process. Inpatient treatment facilities are wonderful resources, but they are not necessarily “miracle” cures. The person is still going to have to take steps to ensure that he or she is continuing to live this healthier lifestyle. As this individual returns to the outside world, be there as a system of support. If you notice that things are starting to get bad again, remind the person of the resources waiting at the inpatient facility. These resources are likely going to be able to get him or her right back on track.

An intervention is something that you may need to, but remember, it’s not just one fleeting moment. All of these pieces come together to help you create a better life for your loved one.

How Does Intervention Work?

The goal of a drug or alcohol intervention is to encourage an addicted individual to seek and accept help. Sadly, most addicts are so consumed by their use of drugs or alcohol that the mere idea of treatment rarely crosses their mind and when it does, fear of the unknown prevents them from seeking further answers. You, as a loved one or friend, have the power to seek professional guidance from a Pittsburgh interventionist to ensure that your loved one gets the treatment he or she deserves.

Interventions can:

• Improve the rate of treatment acceptance.
• Provide guidance and support to friends and family of those who are deeply impacted by a loved one’s addiction.
• Define treatment options that are available to an individual based on his or her needs.
• Encourage an addict to accept help even when past pressure to choose treatment has failed.
• Help the conversation of “treatment options” remain on the right track with minimal or no confrontation involved.

How does this all happen? With the help of a professional drug and alcohol interventionist that is trained to help both addicts and those impacted by addiction to find the courage to work together toward a common goal – getting the addict to accept help and get sober.

Types of Drug and Alcohol Interventions in Pittsburgh

Generally, the first type of intervention that is chosen by friends or family member is the conversational approach. While this MAY work, it doesn’t always provide enough structure and planning to ensure success and it often leaves both the addict and the individual or group that attempted the “conversation” feeling like they failed.

Interventionists generally use defined intervention approaches that are uniquely geared toward the type of individual they are dealing with. This is why it’s so important to choose a professional to help you with the intervention process.

The most common intervention types include:

• The Motivational Interviewing Model – This method involves using a conversational approach to discuss the addiction with the addict and encourage positive behavioral change through the acceptance of treatment.
• The Field Model – This method of intervention involves combining the major points of inviting change from the invitational model of intervention and the power of aggression from the Johnson model of intervention to encourage the user into rehab.
• The Johnson Model – This is the method of intervention that we see on major television shows and in the media. It generally involves aggressive and harsh actions that “force” the addict to choose treatment.
• The invitational Model – Because many addicts will run at the idea of being “forced” into treatment, the invitational model works well in many situations. It involves inviting the individual to change his or her addictive behavior rather than making the whole process seem forced and immediate.
• The Systemic Intervention Model – This method of intervention involves reminding the addict of various experiences that will help him or her to curb the attitude toward treatment rather than seeking to use threats of reduced support or help like may models encourage. Programs like this are ideal for aggressive or violent addict.

For help choosing the best intervention model for your loved one, contact a Pittsburgh drug and alcohol interventionist that can assist you.