Holding an intervention
When we suspected my dad was using drugs, my mom and sisters decided it was time to hold an intervention. We decided to invite two very close family friends who had noticed his behaviour recently. (one who had overcome an addiction himself).
when he clued in that we were holding an intervention, he got defensive and angry, and wouldn't sit. (He was partially angry because he would never want me, or my sisters to be in on this, We're 17, 20, and 25.)
When he finally did sit down, we went around the room and talked about what we had been noticing, and he had an excuse for EVERYTHING.
For example, my sister had seen him at a couple of sketchy houses, and pointed out he had been borrowing money. etc. He denied having a problem.
On my turn to speak, I made him keep eye contact with me the entire time. Anytime he looked away, I would stop talking, until he was looking back at me. I cried- a lot. It was so hard to accuse him of having a drug problem.
He still denied it- even when all of us had said our turn. It wasn't until we were starting to doubt ourselves, thinking maybe we're wrong... that I told him I felt like our family was falling apart- something in him clicked.
"Enough". he said. "Ok". I'll never forget that moment. I actually thanked God for giving him the strength to say he'd quit. And he did.
He had a heroin addiction, and had been addicted for four years. I think we may have saved his life. He now goes to regular NA meetings, and has just returned from a half way recovery house.
It's not something I ever want to go through again, but I'm so thankful for having the support of my family there with me. Has anyone else ever staged an intervention? How did it go? What were the persons reactions?