An Intervention
Forum Leader
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 10,944
Hi Jasmine,
Others will be along who have more experience, but I wanted to share two things I have learned here.
An intervention, if successful, is only the beginning of a long road for the addict.
An intervention is mostly useful for getting ALL of the family members on the same page and to stop enabling the addict.
How one is organized "officially" is something I have no experience with.....but others do.
Good luck! HG
Others will be along who have more experience, but I wanted to share two things I have learned here.
An intervention, if successful, is only the beginning of a long road for the addict.
An intervention is mostly useful for getting ALL of the family members on the same page and to stop enabling the addict.
How one is organized "officially" is something I have no experience with.....but others do.
Good luck! HG
Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 15
If you google the topic (interventionists) and your area, you may come up with some information. I stumbled on a few on-line resources when I was looking for a possible interventionist a few months ago. Or possibly you could call your local hospital and ask for referrals/help. Good luck.
I tried to attach you a link but for some reason the post won't allow me to do it.
I tried to attach you a link but for some reason the post won't allow me to do it.
Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: LA - Lower Alabama
Posts: 5,068
I was a part of one once, before I became a candidate for one. It worked. An AA guy led the intervention. He got everybody lined up and on the same page - family, friends, employer. The employer was going to give him a month off to go to rehab. The message was - get help NOW. If you don't, you have no job, no where to live, no family and no friends. There was one friend that ALWAYS gave him a place to crash or a bottle, and we even timed the intervention when this guy was in Europe for 8 weeks.
It is very important to get everyone on the same page. I cannot stress this enough.
It is very important to get everyone on the same page. I cannot stress this enough.
Member
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 173
My RAF had one, and while I don't know the exact details, he described it to me as a "family intervention," and as a result, he did agree to go to rehab. I know that his wife called some of his immediate family members to come into town, but I don't know if they also had a professional or anyone from AA there as well. His employer (for whom I work also) was definitely NOT included. In my opinion, I think it was those out-of-town family members that did the trick for him. As far as I am aware, his recovery is going well and he has not relapsed.
Wishing you strength and good luck if you are contemplating an intervention for the A in your life!
Wishing you strength and good luck if you are contemplating an intervention for the A in your life!
Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Baton Rouge, La.
Posts: 15,236
February 1990, I was involved in an
aweful car accident at 2am in the
morning on my way home from a local
club. Here I am 30 yrs old, 7 yrs married,
2 beautiful kids, a boy and girl and where
was I in life?
I was restless irritable and discontent
in my marriage and as I drank I wanted
more fun while being a mom and wife.
I found that outlet i was looking for
in a club and around others that drank
like I did. Sadly, my little family had
no idea I had another side of me when
I drank.
Feb. 1990 my accident accured which
took me about 3 months to heal almost
perfectly without a drink. Pain meds filled
in till I had no more pain to heal.
Aug.1990, I had no idea what was happening,
yet I ended up right back where I was months
earlier, same club, same time home, facing
another arguement.
Then I made a decision under the influence
that I didnt want to live like that any longer
and downed some left over pain meds with
my wine and on a dare from my spouse, I
followed thru with wanting to die.
The next morning, my kids tried to wake me
with no luck, yet i could hear a faint ringing
of the phone right next to my bed. It was my
mother in law looking for my kids for their
last day of vaction bible school.
That set off an alarm to my family that
something wasnt right with me, when i
answered the phone in a slurred voice.
I hopped from my bed and staggered
to the bathroom to throw up what was
left in my system. Soon afterwards, my
husband was home trying to get me to
go to the hospital to get my stomach
pumped which I fought him tooth and
nail not to go.
There was a short period of time that
I noticed the house was quiet and i was
alone. Moments later 2 officers were
shown inside following my husband
and father in law. They were there to
pick me up and take me to the hospital
because i wasnt willing to go the first
time with my spouse.
I latered learn that my family had done
an intervention on me, seeking help and
guidance from the right people over the
phone. Since I tried to end my miserable
life there was concern for my mental health.
So they got a court order to have me
picked up and taken to the hospital for
evaluation. That 1st night i spent in the
physic ward scared to death but had a
gut feeling i wasnt as bad off as many
I saw shuffling across the floor or hugging
the wall.
The next day I passed all the test thrown
at me and was evaluated as only having
a problem with alcohol. Sooooooo.....
The next 28 days I went upstairs to the
Silkworth ward along with others having
the same problem with alcohol and drug.
That was 21 yrs ago.
I realized yrs later in recovery how rapid
my alcohol disease had progressed during
that Feb and Aug. of 1990. It simply blows
my mind to reflect on that period of my life.
Intervention by my family saved my life.
The tools, knowledge and time spent in
rehab set me on a path or a journey in
life living happy joyous and free from
my addiction and disease of alcohol.
aweful car accident at 2am in the
morning on my way home from a local
club. Here I am 30 yrs old, 7 yrs married,
2 beautiful kids, a boy and girl and where
was I in life?
I was restless irritable and discontent
in my marriage and as I drank I wanted
more fun while being a mom and wife.
I found that outlet i was looking for
in a club and around others that drank
like I did. Sadly, my little family had
no idea I had another side of me when
I drank.
Feb. 1990 my accident accured which
took me about 3 months to heal almost
perfectly without a drink. Pain meds filled
in till I had no more pain to heal.
Aug.1990, I had no idea what was happening,
yet I ended up right back where I was months
earlier, same club, same time home, facing
another arguement.
Then I made a decision under the influence
that I didnt want to live like that any longer
and downed some left over pain meds with
my wine and on a dare from my spouse, I
followed thru with wanting to die.
The next morning, my kids tried to wake me
with no luck, yet i could hear a faint ringing
of the phone right next to my bed. It was my
mother in law looking for my kids for their
last day of vaction bible school.
That set off an alarm to my family that
something wasnt right with me, when i
answered the phone in a slurred voice.
I hopped from my bed and staggered
to the bathroom to throw up what was
left in my system. Soon afterwards, my
husband was home trying to get me to
go to the hospital to get my stomach
pumped which I fought him tooth and
nail not to go.
There was a short period of time that
I noticed the house was quiet and i was
alone. Moments later 2 officers were
shown inside following my husband
and father in law. They were there to
pick me up and take me to the hospital
because i wasnt willing to go the first
time with my spouse.
I latered learn that my family had done
an intervention on me, seeking help and
guidance from the right people over the
phone. Since I tried to end my miserable
life there was concern for my mental health.
So they got a court order to have me
picked up and taken to the hospital for
evaluation. That 1st night i spent in the
physic ward scared to death but had a
gut feeling i wasnt as bad off as many
I saw shuffling across the floor or hugging
the wall.
The next day I passed all the test thrown
at me and was evaluated as only having
a problem with alcohol. Sooooooo.....
The next 28 days I went upstairs to the
Silkworth ward along with others having
the same problem with alcohol and drug.
That was 21 yrs ago.
I realized yrs later in recovery how rapid
my alcohol disease had progressed during
that Feb and Aug. of 1990. It simply blows
my mind to reflect on that period of my life.
Intervention by my family saved my life.
The tools, knowledge and time spent in
rehab set me on a path or a journey in
life living happy joyous and free from
my addiction and disease of alcohol.
Member
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 588
A long time ago we had an intervention for our friend, only at that time there was no name for it. We were young and partying, but she always took it too far and wouldn't stop drinking until there was absolutely nothing left to drink. She wasn't a daily drinker, but a mean, weekend drunk. In those days, and maybe still today, it was considered rude to comment on someone's alcohol consumption.
We didn't involve her family (parents were alcoholics/addicts) but we got our close knit group of friends together after one particularly bad incident and sat her down and said "enough is enough". I think the thought of us all together telling her the same thing really struck a chord.
She went to her family doctor the next morning (at our suggestion, we had no idea what else to suggest) and he recommended AA. She went to a meeting that very next evening and has been a success story every since. That was over 30 years ago.
My own AH still drinks, secretly, daily, and his family and work all know about it. I don't think an intervention would work with him. I think his denial is still so strong he would convince himself, yet again, that no one knows he drinks because we don't see it go down his throat. He doesn't realize how incredibly lame he sounds.
We didn't involve her family (parents were alcoholics/addicts) but we got our close knit group of friends together after one particularly bad incident and sat her down and said "enough is enough". I think the thought of us all together telling her the same thing really struck a chord.
She went to her family doctor the next morning (at our suggestion, we had no idea what else to suggest) and he recommended AA. She went to a meeting that very next evening and has been a success story every since. That was over 30 years ago.
My own AH still drinks, secretly, daily, and his family and work all know about it. I don't think an intervention would work with him. I think his denial is still so strong he would convince himself, yet again, that no one knows he drinks because we don't see it go down his throat. He doesn't realize how incredibly lame he sounds.
Member
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Memphis, TN
Posts: 2,884
It only works if the A is willing to admit they have a problem. My AW has had an intervention, several outpatient rehabs, detox and 2 stays at the behavioral sciences unit and currently is in therapy...... for depression. Nope, no issues with alcohol, the depression made her do it.
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