Do Interventions Work?

Most of us have probably heard of the television show "Intervention", where addicts are confronted by their families, but we don't know if those interventions really work. Are they as simple as they seem to be on television? This article will attempt to answer that question, and tell you whether or not interventions really work.

An intervention is an attempt by friends and family to get an addict to accept help for their condition. A person can become addicted to almost any behavior or substance; some conditions such as OCD are considered to be anxiety based and don't require an intervention. There are two different kinds of intervention: indirect and direct. The direct form is the most common and it originated during the rampant drug experimentation that took place during the 1960s. Over the years, however, the direct intervention has evolved into a very specialized approach.

The direct approach is reliant upon family involvement and the addict's level of commitment, and it takes the focus from the addict and gives them a greater sense of respect. The indirect model involves a therapist working with a codependent relative to give them skills with which to help the addict. When a direct intervention is in the planning stages, the family will meet with an interventionist and they will write statements that outline the consequences of the addict's refusal of treatment. The addict is only brought in once the family decides what will happen if they refuse, virtually forcing them to get help.

Interventions have seen their share of controversy, mostly because of the "ambush" style in which they are performed. Some addicts get quite belligerent and defensive, and never get help. Addiction therapy is focused building trust, so the critics of intervention question its effectiveness. Another issue at hand is the high rate at which relapse occurs in addicts who had an intervention; in a lot of cases, they are "guilt tripped" into getting help and they do not follow through.

Do interventions ever fail? A lot of therapists will tell you that there is success every time an addict is offered assistance. The intervention is the start of a process that ends when the addict finally gets help. Even if they do not seek help, their family will still have begun the recovery process. It's important that families stick to their consequences and reward milestones, and it can be hard to let go, especially for parents. Those that cannot do it are just continuing the cycle of addiction and codependency.

The answer to the question "Do interventions work?" depends on the standard of success. If an addict accepts and completes treatment and has no relapses, that would be considered 100% successful. The reality is, most addicts have at least one relapse, regardless of what kind of treatment they get. Most therapists think that confrontation brings clarity to the addict and encourages them to get help. That decision can take a long time, but if they are alive to make it, then the intervention will in the end be a success.