An Intervention
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Florida
Posts: 874
An Intervention
Has anyone stopped drinking as the result of an intervention? I've seen TV shows about interventions which often result in 90 days of rehab and seem to work most of the time.
I heard a comment that an intervention doesn't always come when the drinker has hit their bottom - friends and family have just gotten fed up and are trying to help. And, until that person hits their bottom, they won't be ready to stop.
I thought that was a pretty interesting take on them and wondered if any of you had any experience.
I heard a comment that an intervention doesn't always come when the drinker has hit their bottom - friends and family have just gotten fed up and are trying to help. And, until that person hits their bottom, they won't be ready to stop.
I thought that was a pretty interesting take on them and wondered if any of you had any experience.
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Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Baton Rouge, La.
Posts: 15,238
25 yrs ago my spouse and his parents
sought help for me which was an intervention
consisting of a court order, a ride in a police
car and taken to a rehab facility to be
evaluated for my state of mind at that
time took place.
I had hit my bottom and just had had enough
of not being able to control my drinking on
my own and wanted to check out of this
world or just sleep. I was sick and tired.
I took all the mental test and passed
with the end result as having a drinking
problem or in other words, addiction
to alcohol.
I was to spend 2 weeks before I could
return home, but I was no where's near
to returning to my family inviroment
and was to be sent to a halfway house
for a longer time.
I begged to stay where I was doing whatever
I needed to do just don't sent me away and
did complete a 28 instay with a 6 week after
care program attached upon my release.
That was 25 yrs ago and as I continue on
my recovery journey I am still very grateful
for my family doing for me what I was not
able to do for myself at that time in my life.
They and a willingness to want to live
with faith and an effective program of
recovery taught to me saved my life.
sought help for me which was an intervention
consisting of a court order, a ride in a police
car and taken to a rehab facility to be
evaluated for my state of mind at that
time took place.
I had hit my bottom and just had had enough
of not being able to control my drinking on
my own and wanted to check out of this
world or just sleep. I was sick and tired.
I took all the mental test and passed
with the end result as having a drinking
problem or in other words, addiction
to alcohol.
I was to spend 2 weeks before I could
return home, but I was no where's near
to returning to my family inviroment
and was to be sent to a halfway house
for a longer time.
I begged to stay where I was doing whatever
I needed to do just don't sent me away and
did complete a 28 instay with a 6 week after
care program attached upon my release.
That was 25 yrs ago and as I continue on
my recovery journey I am still very grateful
for my family doing for me what I was not
able to do for myself at that time in my life.
They and a willingness to want to live
with faith and an effective program of
recovery taught to me saved my life.
Member
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Earth
Posts: 607
Interventions only work if a person is ready. Sometimes they just tick people off and have a worse effect. May work push someone who is at the end of their rope, may not. I guess it helps family and friends feel like they are doing what's right by the commonly accepted recovery criteria and "tough love".
Your bottom is where you choose to land. Some are more stubborn and have a higher threshold of pain than others.
Your bottom is where you choose to land. Some are more stubborn and have a higher threshold of pain than others.
You can have reasons, or you can have results, but you can't have both.
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Syracuse, NY
Posts: 1,232
I agree with Jsbodhi and esinger -- folks can quit at a time of their choosing. Doesn't necessarily have to be "rock bottom." Seems like a fair number of people quit well before then.
Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Baton Rouge, La.
Posts: 15,238
I had no idea what an intervention
was, nor did any of my family and I
can definitely share that I was not
ready for that stunt they pulled on
me.
I struggled with my husband with
every ounce of strength I had in my
being and with him being 6' and me
just 5, he couldnt haul me to the car to
get me help.
I was in no frame of mind to make
any kind of decision for myself and
because I was a danger to myself,
they had to make calls to those familiar
with my situation for guidance in to
what to do.
That was when a court order was
issued and the authorities came in
to escort me away peacefully.
Yes, I was sick but I wasn't ready to
surrender and give up my love for
alcohol.
I did go willingly, angry but I knew
once I entered recovery and was
taught about my addiction and its
affects on me and others then I knew
what I needed and wanted to do to
remain sober for the long haul.
was, nor did any of my family and I
can definitely share that I was not
ready for that stunt they pulled on
me.
I struggled with my husband with
every ounce of strength I had in my
being and with him being 6' and me
just 5, he couldnt haul me to the car to
get me help.
I was in no frame of mind to make
any kind of decision for myself and
because I was a danger to myself,
they had to make calls to those familiar
with my situation for guidance in to
what to do.
That was when a court order was
issued and the authorities came in
to escort me away peacefully.
Yes, I was sick but I wasn't ready to
surrender and give up my love for
alcohol.
I did go willingly, angry but I knew
once I entered recovery and was
taught about my addiction and its
affects on me and others then I knew
what I needed and wanted to do to
remain sober for the long haul.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Florida
Posts: 874
Thanks for your thoughts. I'd watched a Netflix series about addictions - mostly drugs and alcohol. There were maybe 12 episodes and they all had an intervention followed by rehab. All but one of the addicts took the rehab help that was offered.
Later, it was pointed out that some of these people took the help but weren't really ready to quit. Possible because it wasn't necessarily their "bottom" but their families. And, they could explain why some of them relapsed.I just thought that was an interesting observation.
Later, it was pointed out that some of these people took the help but weren't really ready to quit. Possible because it wasn't necessarily their "bottom" but their families. And, they could explain why some of them relapsed.I just thought that was an interesting observation.
Sober AF Since 3/20/16
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: WI - Where alcohol abuse is a sacrement
Posts: 157
Not me. My "friends" and family just LOVED me as a drunk and even went so far as to label me "completely worthless" after I got sober.
They're probably planning an intervention to get me to START drinking. 😜
They're probably planning an intervention to get me to START drinking. 😜
Member
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 709
I went to rehab, but it was my choice. I know myself and I chose a place that coincided with my values and beliefs. If I was faced with an intervention and sent to some boot camp place where I'd have to be in AA meetings all day, I wouldn't succeed. But that's me. (Maybe it's because my husband wanted me to go to one of those places. ...) I am almost 6 months sober now and am thankful that I went to a rehab where I felt comfortable and poised for success.
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Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: USA
Posts: 701
Does anyone know where the *conventional wisdom* of having to hit rock bottom came from? Many many people quit drinking before "rock bottom", myself included. I just don't see the relevance of the theory. Sure, some people only quit when faced with a devastating consequence of their drinking, but it is certainly NOT universal.
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Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 1,183
I guess if we define "rock bottom" on an individual basis, it's a perfectly fine theory. Your rock bottom, for you, doesn't have to be as far down the hole as the next person's rock bottom. But I don't like to use the phrase, myself, because it does tend to imply that you must suffer significant negative consequences before you can quit for good, and that's not true even if it is common.
But I don't like to use the phrase, myself, because it does tend to imply that you must suffer significant negative consequences before you can quit for good, and that's not true even if it is common.
Last edited by JeffreyAK; 03-31-2016 at 06:57 PM. Reason: typo
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Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Midwest
Posts: 4,860
About interventions. I only have first-hand knowledge of one intervention, which involved an older member of my extended family. It was a successful effort that resulted in him living in sobriety until he passed away about 15 years later. That gave him, and family members, good years for which they were all grateful.
About rock bottom. My own sense is that the notion that one must hit rock bottom borders on being one of the urban legends of sobriety and recovery. Why? Because the low points just keep getting lower and the addicted person just keeps chasing the ball downhill. For any who are still drinking, think about it. What would you see if you could travel back in time -- say, 5, 10 or 15 years -- and look ahead to where you are now? I know that I'd have been horrified by how my drinking had increased, both in volume and frequency.
If anyone reading this is waiting to see if things get worse, rest assured that they will. Alcoholism is progressive. Don't wait to stop.
About rock bottom. My own sense is that the notion that one must hit rock bottom borders on being one of the urban legends of sobriety and recovery. Why? Because the low points just keep getting lower and the addicted person just keeps chasing the ball downhill. For any who are still drinking, think about it. What would you see if you could travel back in time -- say, 5, 10 or 15 years -- and look ahead to where you are now? I know that I'd have been horrified by how my drinking had increased, both in volume and frequency.
If anyone reading this is waiting to see if things get worse, rest assured that they will. Alcoholism is progressive. Don't wait to stop.
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Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 214
I know a guy that was a very wealthy person that had gone off the rails. Had an intervention. Went to rehab. Started up drinking and drugs. Came by the other day and he was down to a backpack living in a crack hotel downtown. Asked me for extra change to pick up trash around my property. Just couldn't believe my eyes. Your soul just cries out for the guy. I am talking luxury cars, house, smoke show wife, 4 gorgeous kids and he is living in a crack hotel. Really infamous case around my area of the country. I will save the guy further embarrassment by not mentioning his name. As some people would know it.
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