Frequently Asked Questions

What is an Intervention?

An intervention is a nonjudgmental planned interaction between an individual and a group, or individual, whose sole purpose is to modify the individual’s dependence on a harmful substance or practice.

What is an Interventionist?

A certified interventionist is a professional who has completed accredited training and educational foundation courses from a certified institution. The interventionist supports, educates, and provides guidance, direction, and facilitation of the intervention and aftercare.

Is Addiction a Disease?

Drugs and alcohol can rewire the brain, disrupting function and leading to dependency. It results in a distorted value system that shifts toward supporting ongoing substance use.

How Long Will this Process Take?

Remember that change is gradual and may have ups and downs. Your loved one might relapse several times before finding an effective treatment method that keeps them on track. Stability in life is difficult to achieve for anyone. Continue to be supportive of your loved one’s efforts. And remember that millions of people who were once experiencing alcohol or other substance dependence are now living happy and fulfilling lives.

What can I do to Help?

Supporters of people struggling with addiction often wish they could do more to help, and it can be tempting to try. Allow the person to learn how to reject tempting offers by themselves gracefully. And let them develop the ability to speak about their problems with substance use without shame. Your role in their support circle is to help them if they slip and give them love and encouragement.

Am I an Enabler?

Family and friends try to protect their loved one from financial or legal consequences, but that often has the unintended effect of enabling the substance abuse to worsen. People in early recovery typically need emotional and material support. This support is helpful and healthy, but it’s important to let them know you will only be supporting their recovery efforts – nothing else. Focus on supporting your loved one’s healthy future goals, such as continuing education or finding a job.

Signs of Addiction

• Loss of control: Drinking or drugging more than a person wants to, for longer than they intended, or despite telling himself or herself it will not happen again.

• Neglecting other activities: spending less time on activities that used to be important (hanging out with family and friends, exercising hobbies or other interests) because of the use of alcohol or drugs; drop in attendance and performance at work or school

• Risk-taking: more likely to take serious risks to obtain one's drugs of choice

• Relationship issues: People struggling with addiction are known to act out against those closest to them, particularly if someone is attempting to address their substance abuse problems, complaints from co-workers, supervisors, teachers, or classmates

• Secrecy: Going out of one's way to hide the amount of drugs or alcohol consumed or one's activities when drinking or drugging unexplained injuries or accidents.

• Changing appearance: Serious changes in appearance or deterioration of hygiene or physical appearance – lack of showering, slovenly appearance, unclean clothes

• Family History: A family history of addiction can dramatically increase one's predisposition to substance abuse

• Tolerance: Over time, a person’s body adapts to a tolerance to the point that they need more and more of it to have the same reaction

• Withdrawal: As the effect of the alcohol or drugs wears off, the person may experience symptoms such as anxiety or jumpiness, shakiness or trembling, sweating, nausea and vomiting, insomnia, depression, irritability, fatigue or loss of appetite headaches

• Continued use: Despite negative consequences, even though it is causing problems on the job, with relationships, or health, a person continues drinking and drugging.

Physical Signs May Include:

Over-active or under-active (depending on the drug)

Repetitive speech patterns
Dilated pupils, red eyes
Excessive sniffing and runny nose (not attributable to a cold)
Looking pale or undernourished
Clothes do not fit the same
Weight loss
Change in eating habits
Unusual odors or body odor due to a lack of personal hygiene

Behavioral Signs May Include:

Missing work/school
Work/school problems
Missing important engagements
Isolating/secretive about activities
Disrupted sleep patterns
Legal problems
Relationship/marital problems
Financial problems (e.g., always needing money)
Conversations dominated by using or drug/alcohol-related topics
Emotional Irritability/Argument
Defensiveness
Inability to deal with stress
Loss of interest in activities/people that used to be part of their lives
Obnoxious
Silly
Confused easily
Denial Rationalizing – Offering alibis, excuses, justifications, or other explanations for their using behavior.

STACY J. DODD

"Backpack & Beyond: Discovering the Keys to the Kingdom" by Stacy Dodd AVAILABLE NOW!