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Steps to an Alcoholic Intervention

Getting help for an alcoholic in your life is one of the best ways to help her overcome that disease. A proven technique to getting an alcoholic to face her issues is through an intervention. An intervention is a process through which an addict's loved ones confront the addict with her self-destructive behavior in an attempt to get her help. When planning an intervention, there are several steps you can take to increase your chances of success.

  1. Planning the Intervention

    • The best thing you can do before the intervention is to make concrete plans and make sure that everyone involved is aware what they are. A good intervention should have three to eight of the people to whom the alcoholic is closest. Get them together for a planning meeting in which you will pick a person who will be in charge of the details and who will run the intervention. At this point, you should discuss all the negative consequences that alcohol has had on this person's life, so you know what you are going to talk about. Everyone involved should write a one- to two-page letter to the addict explaining to them how his addiction has hurt him and his relationships with others. When writing these letters, try to take out all negative and attacking language. This planning meeting is also the time where everyone decides where the intervention will take place; where everyone will sit, including the addict; and in what order to read the letters.

    Day-of tasks

    • Prior to the day of the intervention, you should contact a treatment facility and make an appointment to bring the addict in after the intervention. Make sure that everyone knows to keep quiet about it, so the alcoholic doesn't know what's coming. She may be apt to not show up if she does). Everyone involved in the intervention should arrive at least 30 minutes before the intervention takes place and park in discrete locations, so the alcoholic is not tipped off.

    Performing the Intervention

    • The intervention itself may be difficult. The addict may leave the room when faced with everyone there. If that happens, nominate two or three people to follow him and encourage him to come back into the room. Read the letters to the addict and let him know he has your support for treatment. Keep the experience open and honest without attacking the addict. Try to get him to accept the treatment you have scheduled for him, but don't force him there. If he agrees, make sure you know who will be driving him there or, if the treatment center is out of state, accompanying him there.

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