Addiction is a Disease—You and others in the family need to learn about addiction and compulsive behavior. You must understand that chemical dependency is a primary, chronic disease that is often progressive and fatal and is characterized by impaired control over use, preoccupation with use, continued use despite adverse consequences and distortions in thinking, most notably denial.(3) Whether the chemical is alcohol, marijuana, amphetamines, cocaine, tranquilizers, prescription medications, or other drugs, addiction can occur. Similar addictive problems can occur with other compulsive behaviors and activities such as gambling or compulsive sexual relationships. The more you know, the less likely you are to lecture, moralize, accuse, blame and condemn.
	Recovery takes time—You need to accept that recovery is a process that takes considerable time. Recovering persons must accept that they suffer from a disease that is chronic, but treatable. Getting past denial is often a big hurdle. They must stop using. And stay stopped. Abstinence is the only thing that works. Sobriety, lasting sobriety, requires serious commitment to change and work. No one can do it for the addict. Working a program is a commitment only the addict can make. It requires self examination and making changes in their attitudes, self-understanding, and behaviors.
	Addiction is a shared disease—You need to understand that the adaptations you have made in living with the addictive and compulsive behaviors also need to change. Enabling, overcompensating and allowing abuse—emotionally, physically, financially—need to stop. While you did not cause and cannot control the drinking, drug use or compulsive behavior, you need to recognize that you have shared and participated in it. Full recovery means recovery for the family as well as the addicted person.

Planning the Intervention

Do you need outside help?—Can you as a family conduct this intervention on your own or do you need the help of a facilitator? Interventions have been successful both ways.

Selecting the Intervention Team—Enlist the aid of other key family members, friends, neighbors, ministers or rabbis, family physician, personal attorney, and even employer or employees who are willing to help. You will want to include those people who are closely involved, concerned, and whose opinion and attitude will have the most impact. Three to eight people is best.

Preparing a Letter, Listing Behaviors—Each person prepares a letter outlining specific incidents and situations in which that person has either observed the person’s behavior or was directly affected by it. Letter should be explicit and include how the affected person felt. Tone of items should not be judgmental, opinions or generalizations. Review items with someone else on intervention team or facilitator if you want to check on the kind of list you have compiled.

Settling on Consequences—A second task for each member of the team is to think through and decide on the personal consequences they will employ if the focus person refuses treatment. These are not meant as threats. Rather they are the logical and realistic outcomes that are within the control of each member. They must be carried out. So don't pick a consequence that you are unwilling or unable to do. All team members need to be committed to following through on the consequences they choose.

Agreeing on a Chairperson—Select a chairperson to open the intervention, state its purpose, invite each team member to share and end the intervention by summarizing briefly and presenting the treatment alternatives. It is the chairperson’s job to keep the intervention on track and running smoothly. If using a facilitator, they may perform this role. It is usually best not to have someone who is most emotionally involved, e.g., a spouse or parent.

Decide on Time and Place—There is no best time or place. Where or when it is done is less important than to do it. Timing around a vulnerable point in the impaired person’s life—loss of a job, automobile accident, personal or family crisis—may weaken denial.

Treatment Alternative—Agree upon treatment alternatives to be presented during the intervention (i.e., evaluation interview, outpatient treatment, inpatient treatment, etc.). Make arrangements with treatment program to be ready for next step.

Commit to Recovery for Yourself—Be ready and willing to seek help for yourself even if the addicted person refuses treatment.

1. Johnson, Vernon. Intervention: How to Help Someone Who Doesn’t Want Help (Johnson Institute Books, 1986)

2. Vaughn, Joe. Family Intervention: Hope for Families Struggling with Alcohol and Drugs (Westminster, 1989)

3. Definition approved by National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependency, the American Society of Addiction Medicine, NCADD and ASAM, 1990.

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