The familiar saying, “Go with your gut, it never lies,” holds particular weight in cases of drug or alcohol addiction. If your instinct is telling you that your loved one needs help, it’s wise to listen as addicts often become masters at convincing everyone, even themselves, that everything is fine. With emotions running high, it’s important to have backup beyond instinct alone. Here, we detail when it’s time to enlist the help of a drug interventionist.
What is a Drug Interventionist?
A drug interventionist is a qualified professional who leads a formal, structured intervention to facilitate healing and change for your loved one. They serve as an objective third party who can help de-escalate the stress and guide your loved one toward treatment. Rather than taking this on yourself, the expertise of a drug interventionist can be invaluable throughout this difficult time by helping your family:
- Find the right treatment program
- Advocate for your loved one
- Understand what to expect
- Follow recovery progression
- Develop an aftercare plan to support recovery
Signs You Should Enlist the Help of a Drug Interventionist
There are some common signs which include:
- Reduced ability to function on a daily basis — This includes negative impacts at home, at work, or both, as well as increased conflicts with family members or isolating themselves to avoid normal interactions with family.
- Acting erratically — They may exhibit irrational behavior or mood swings and you may never know if you’ll find your loved one angry, depressed, elated or hostile.
- Unexplained financial problems — This is likely the result of your loved one spending more and more to feed their habit; they may even try manipulating you or other family members to give them money.
- Being incredibly secretive — Whether it’s hiding bottles of alcohol, showing up at events already intoxicated to avoid drinking in public, or hiding pills in unmarked medication bottles so you can’t determine the substance, your loved one will likely try to hide their behavior.
- Exhausted and drained from turmoil — This could apply to your loved one or your family altogether. As the constant turmoil takes its toll, you start to realize this isn’t normal—this is not the life we want to have.
How to Select a Drug Interventionist
There are countless drug interventionists out there, but it’s crucial to find a qualified and ethical professional to give your loved one the best shot at recovery. First, look at the Network of Independent Interventionists; members must adhere to clearly stated ethical guidelines. Once you find a few drug interventionists to consider, make sure you ask the right questions such as:
- What is your education level (ideally master’s degree or higher in relevant field)?
- What are your professional credentials/accreditations/association memberships?
- Are you educated, trained, or licensed to work with mental health issues and dual diagnoses (a mental health disorder combined with drug or alcohol addiction)?
- Are you an independent drug interventionist?
- Do you have a financial connection with any treatment center (helps you avoid conflict of interest)?
- Can you provide references from other families you’ve worked with or clients?
Bonus tip: The contract should always be between you and the interventionist; avoid hiring an interventionist through a treatment center.
When You’re Ready to Move Forward
It’s a difficult time, there’s no getting around it. We see intervention as a starting point and each case is unique, often with layers that may also include mental health issues. That’s why our drug interventionists provide a compassionate, customized approach that includes a Trauma-Informed Responsive Intervention™ proven to result in better long-term recovery, as well as six months of case management. It’s the goal of our master’s-level clinical team to guide and stand by your family throughout the process. You can also count on us to help you set and maintain appropriate boundaries before, during, and especially after, the intervention.
For more information on our Trauma-Informed Responsive Intervention™ services, call 800-335-0316 or email info@heatherhayes.com today.
