How to Confront a Drug Problem

Interventions, or the process of confronting an addict with the facts of their addiction, is a difficult, heart-wrenching process. While frustrating, certain methods have been devised that seem to yield the best chance of success in getting the addict (at least) to acknowledge their addiction. Nevertheless, it is often the case that interventions are the last straw in getting an addict into treatment or at least to recognize that a problem exists.

Instructions

How to Confront an Addict

• 1

  Invite close family and friends of the addict to assist in the intervention. It is possible to invest in a professional intervention counselor, but this should be cautionary, since the counselor is not personally known by the addict, and hence might evoke a hostile response (Reference 2).

• 2

  Have a goal in mind prior to the intervention. Goals can include the simple desire for an addict to admit there is a problem, or even that the interveners care, and are not "judging" the addict. At maximum, a successful intervention can get the addict to admit that a treatment program is necessary, though that is rare for the first time (Reference 1).

• 3

  Engage the addict at the most vulnerable times. The best time to confront an addict is after a serious incident: a fight, a car accident, a loss of a job. In such a case, denial of the problem will be more difficult to justify. Mornings are often the best, when an addict is relaxed and not high. Confronting a high person will end in failure. The person must be at a vulnerable time of the day or even of their lives to possibly accept the justification of the intervention (Reference 2).

• 4

  Prepare yourself for hostility and denial. Addiction is an excellent liar: plausible explanations of bad behavior will arise, and the hostility can be very difficult. Stay on course. Do not let the lying of the addict, as well as the pious personal justifications, force the interveners off course. Get to the heart of the issue and stay there. Engaging in "rational" debate with the addict is a sure route to failure. Addicts are expert justifiers.

• 5

  Keep your tone firm, but concerned. Make it very clear that the rejection of the intervention will lead to serious results, such as banishment from the home. Whatever you do, make certain that the addict realizes that life will NOT go on as normal of s/he rejects the intervention. In addition, make sure that the interveners make it clear that friendships will be lost as a result of the rejection of the intervention (Reference 2).