Addiction Interventionist in Ontario

Metamorphosis provides the services of a licenced interventionist upon request. Our interventionists have high levels of success and understand the needs of a struggling individual. Sometimes the intervention does not go the way it was intended, however, the seeds have now been planted. This can lead the individual to go from the pre- contemplation to contemplation, and then the seeking treatment stages of addiction. An intervention is the process by which family, friends, counselors, and a licenced interventionist can show a person who is struggling with addiction, the negative impact of this disease on their life and the toll it takes on loved one’s and friends.

Who Should Participate in an Intervention?

While family members for the most part perform interventions, anyone with a sincere and loving relationship with the individual can participate.

This might include:

• Adult family members (siblings and parents)
• Children of the afflicted individual
• Pastoral and religious community members
• Friends and colleagues
• Significant others

use the services of a licenced interventionist specialist. this person can provide the family and friends with the information they need to conduct a thorough and safe intervention.

What is the Immediate Goal of an Intervention?

The purpose of an intervention is to help the person struggling with addiction to enter a rehabilitation program, usually in an inpatient facility. Including friends, family and concerned relations, the intervention is not to “gang up” on the person needing help, but to show him how widespread his addiction truly is. When the individual sees how his drug problem affects others’ lives, he may be motivated to seek treatment. An intervention may serve as a final warning, of sorts, that these people will no longer support the destructive behaviors in his/her life.

How Does an Intervention Work?

The first step to setting up an intervention for a loved one is to determine what help the individual may have already sought out for himself. Does the individual have a counselor they speak with regularly? The intervention takes place in a safe environment with the participation of every family member, friend or professional who has a stake in the outcome. Any small children who are directly affected by the events can participate provided the content of the discussions is not overly mature for them to hear or comprehend. It is important that each person involved in the intervention receives adequate training before attempting to participate. In many cases, the subject of the intervention has wronged or betrayed the friends and family members. Whether it was physical, emotional or financial wrongdoing, the participants in the intervention must learn how to control their emotions in the moment. It can be easy for emotions such as anger or grief to surface during the process which might lead to ineffective measures which ultimately hurt the individual in need of support. An intervention is not the appropriate time to address the anger each person feels. An intervention is an opportunity to show the individual that he is loved. Participation in training prior to the intervention can help ease this problem. To ensure the intervention flows smoothly, each member of the intervention should write down in advance, what they wish to say to the person in need. Here are a few common signs to look for of an individual struggling with addiction:

• Loss of interest in normal activities and hobbies
• Showing up late or not at all for work
• Financial problems, your loved one constantly needs to borrow money
• Sleep problems
• Bloodshot eyes, bad breath, shakes or tremors and weight fluctuation
• The individual is acting or behaving differently
• Fighting with family members or co-workers
• New friends3

Any time an individual is suffering from addiction and either does not understand they are addicted or does not seem to care about herself enough to seek help on his own, it is possible an intervention may help. More often than not, addiction is directly connected to an ongoing mental health condition. In fact, research shows that approximately 37 percent of individuals with alcoholism and 53 percent of individuals with drug addictions have at least one serious mental illness. This means that the afflicted individual may be self-medicating for more severe, root psychological issues that are leading his to abuse drugs and alcohol. He honestly may not understand that he is self-medicating; he may think he’s just getting the next high. An intervention can help him see that other forms of help are available.

What Are the Success Rates of Interventions?

Because the entire process is so individual, so personal, success rates for interventions are difficult to gauge. Studies indicate great success convincing an addicted person to enter treatment immediately. But if the individual is over the age of 18, he or she can check out of rehab almost immediately upon getting there. So ultimately, success is difficult to track. Discharge records of individuals seeking medical or psychological care are strictly confidential. There is no reliable way to track how many discharges are premature or whether the person was admitted due to an intervention in the first place. Even so, there are many benefits to holding an intervention, even if the individual does not immediately seek the care he needs.

What if the Intervention Is Unsuccessful?

The most impactful moment of an intervention can often be the afflicted person’s realization that his or her loved ones will no longer facilitate the addiction. There are many people struggling with addiction who claim they want to get treatment, only as a means of manipulating others into helping them maintain the addiction. You’ll know when an intervention fails if the individual does any of the following:

• Promises to seek help “soon”
• Promises to enter rehab if he is provided with money or a place to stay “for a while”
• Enters rehab as part of a criminal conviction, but only goes through the motions
• Uses manipulation to convince friends and family of their desire to get help, then fails to follow through

When the above behaviors become commonplace, this is a sign that the person in need of help has become too wrapped up in their addiction to understand the impact of their behavior on their loved ones and friends. Often, the person in need have families and friends that want to believe and cling on to any remaining hope that the individual will seek help. This allows it to become increasingly harder to navigate through the manipulation of the person in need. Ultimately, if he or she refuses to enter a rehabilitation program, it is important that those holding the intervention follow through on their own promises. If you’ve promised to stop supplying food, money or a place to stay until they agree to get help, don’t back down. Do what you need to do in order to stop supporting the destruction of your loved one.

How Does an Intervention Help?

An intervention is designed to help those struggling with addiction see the negative impact it has made on their lives, as well on the lives of those who love and care for them, but it is more than that. Creating a healthy intervention setting can communicate the love, concern and strength of the community surrounding them in this time of need. It can also help them recognize that they are not living up to their full potential.

An intervention benefits family members and friends in the following ways:

• Drug and alcohol abuse education
• A deeper understanding of the commitment family members and friends need to help their loved one
• A greater sense of unity among those participating in their desire to see their loved one become well

Intervention is only one possible first step to recovery. The bulk of the work lies ahead through recovery and support, but intervention is an option when families and friends can commit themselves to the process.