If you have a friend or family member who is suffering from an addictive disorder, there comes a time where you can no longer sit by and continue to watch the inevitable crash. Or, perhaps you have already witnessed the crash. The DUI, loss of employment, dwindling bank accounts, abject isolation, and lack of motivation are just a few examples of the chaos created by addiction.

You may have heard about the process of an alcohol intervention or drug intervention from friends or you might have seen an episode or two of A & E’s show Intervention. In any event, you begin to process the notion of actually orchestrating a drug intervention or alcohol intervention. And, if you are that is an excellent idea because addictive disorders rarely, if ever, simply go away. In fact, typically they get much worse and sadly oftentimes result in death.

I get the calls and emails when the family has hit “bottom”. They have experienced the carnage addiction leaves behind and they are desperate for help. They believe they need help for the person who is suffering from addiction, and while that is true, more times than not they fail to recognize the need for their own well being. Addiction is a family disease and needs to be treated accordingly.

If you are seriously considering going forward with a drug intervention or alcohol intervention and are thinking about hiring a professional interventionist, there are several inescapable decisions that must be addressed.

The first item up for consideration is your budget. Hiring a professional interventionist and securing a bed at a treatment facility costs money. Ok, I can hear the naysayers already. Yes, there are some public funded facilities out there that offer free treatment. Yes, A.A. has been around since the late 30’s, is free, and has helped millions of addicts out there worldwide. And, yes, you might be able to 12 step an addict into treatment or find a pro bono interventionist. But, generally speaking, it is wise to anticipate expenses related to an intervention/treatment and budget accordingly. Visit Calrehabguide.com for listings of treatment facilities.

Another item for consideration is the make up of the intervention team. The important word here is “team”. Chances are that you, friends, and family members have already attempted to reason, intellectualize and beg the addict into treatment. And, chances are that your attempts fell on deaf ears and left each friend and family member frustrated and, more likely, angry. What you need to understand is that an intervention is best facilitated when collaboration occurs among friends and family members. Simply stated, you need to assemble a team of key players. For more information about the intervention team visit Steven Lodge Interventions.

There are many more issues that need to be addressed when undertaking the role of intervention organizer. The important thing to understand is that if you are dealing with somebody who is suffering from addiction, you need to do something. Addictive disorders are progressive, meaning that the addiction gets worse over time. Stop the suffering. For more information about drug interventions or alcohol interventions call 866 534 4443.