What Kind of Letter do the Participants Write for an Alcohol Intervention?

Alcoholism, the daily dependency upon alcohol, is a serious condition. For a friend or family member of an alcoholic, watching alcohol ruin the alcoholic’s life can be extremely frustrating. Holding an alcohol intervention can be an effective way to convince the person to get treatment. A successful alcohol intervention involves the participants sharing feelings through written letters.

Significance

• Participants of an alcohol intervention write letters to prevent the intervention from becoming overemotional. Without writing letters, emotions like frustration and anger can become counterproductive to the intervention’s goal: having the alcoholic commit to treatment.

The Introduction

• Alcohol intervention letters have three parts and should not exceed two pages. In the first part of the letter, the introduction, you should express why you care for the alcoholic.

Body

• In the body of the letter, you should cite reasons why the alcoholic needs to get help. Point to recent experiences in which alcohol has hindered the alcoholic’s life.

Conclusion

• In the conclusion, reaffirm why you care for the alcoholic and ask him to go for treatment. Well-written letters are an essential part of holding a successful alcohol intervention.

Considerations

• Before confronting the alcoholic, you and the other participants should get together to share your letters. Make sure there is no repetition in content, and use each other to edit out negative feelings like blame and hostility.