Top Drug & Alcohol Intervention Specialists
In Orange County

The purpose of an intervention is to motivate your loved one to seek help and follow through with a treatment plan. When the consequences of their addiction are presented followed by a plan of action, the decision to make a change can feel easier. An intervention provides a safe space to discuss the negative effects addiction has had on not only friends and family but the prospective patient as well. During an intervention, a previously researched treatment plan may be laid out for your loved one to choose whether or not they will participate.

While interventions can prove extremely beneficial in many cases, it’s important to plan effectively. A professional intervention specialist can help aid this process from beginning to end as they specialize in addiction issues and intervention procedures. Other professionals can act as interventionists such as physiatrists, counselors, and social workers. It’s  important to assure that the professional not only works well with your family but also has experience in working with addiction. Before we dive into what intervention looks like, let’s first discuss how to prepare. 

After you have found an intervention specialist, now it’s time to devise a plan. While researching treatment facilities, your interventionist should be able to help you navigate which facilities will work with your loved one’s health insurance. With the guidance of whichever professional you choose to work with, familiarize yourself with different programs and treatment options within those facilities to find a treatment plan that may work best for your loved one’s situation. 

Once you have done your research, it’s time to assemble a team. The intervention team can consist of family and close friends. It’s a great idea to include the intervention specialist in the intervention as well. As an objective party in the matter, the specialist can help mediate and keep things on track. An intervention can be a very emotional experience, and an intervention specialist is experienced in navigating these emotions and helping maintain an environment that is conducive to finding solutions. If your loved one’s addiction is coupled with mental illness or they are actively on a mood-altering substance it is imperative to have a professional present at the intervention. 

Perhaps the most important element of an intervention is not letting your loved one know about it beforehand. Invite them over and have them sit down with the team. An interventionist can help diffuse and talk through any outbursts that may occur here due to pain or anger your loved one may feel at this moment. As each team member shares how your loved one’s addiction has affected them and any ultimatums they may have, the professional can be there to keep the conversation productive and flowing in a healthy way. 

At Recovery Beach, we offer drug and alcohol interventions in Orange County. From organizing the intervention to arranging treatment steps to follow, we can help every step of the way. As a luxury, medical drug and alcohol treatment center that practices holistic treatments for sustainable recovery, we will help create a recovery path that works.

Intervention programs are important because something so emotional can be difficult to execute alone. Although the choice to move forward with treatment is solely up to your loved one, an intervention program may help motivate them to get the help that they need. Having a professional third party present can help facilitate a calmer environment, resulting in your loved one being more open and receptive to treatment. 

The idea behind an intervention program is to intervene before any substance use problem or disorder progresses. An intervention is essentially a turning point between being addicted and following a treatment plan that ignites your journey to sobriety. A new opportunity. When presented with the raw emotions of people they love and care about, your loved one will have a very tough decision to make. The professionals guiding the intervention program can help lay everything out in a way that both makes sense to all parties and hopefully persuade your loved one to see themselves as a prospective patient and look forward to getting help. 

As mentioned earlier, during an intervention several things take place:

• The “team” (family, friends, loved ones) usually prepares a letter beforehand to read. This letter may contain examples of how your loved one’s addiction behaviors have affected them. Letters may also include an ultimatum regarding their addiction and relationship. It is important to follow through with proposed consequences.
• Force your loved one to make decisions about treatment on the spot.
• Go over a proposed treatment plan. These options will have been researched prior with the help of an intervention specialist. 
• Offer support. The goal is not to “shame” or “judge” but to come from a place of love. 

For many, there is a feeling of relief after an intervention. It’s difficult to try to be strong enough to get over something alone, but many don’t know where to turn for help.

Several personality traits are associated with addiction. 

Here are a few: 

• Refusal to take responsibility. Addicts typically will try and shift the blame instead of owning it or finding excuses for their behavior. 
• Low-stress threshold. In other words, not doing well in stressful circumstances. 
• Seeing themselves as an outsider. While individuality is “normal” to an extent, an addict may see themselves as a “black sheep.”
• No impulse control. The lack of the “should I be doing this?” filter. Addicts often find themselves in dangerous situations simply due to how impulsive they can be.

While it may feel hard to find the right words to say to someone who is struggling with addiction, there are messages you can convey to them. Making an addict feel loved, wanted, and supported can make a big difference in their outlook on seeking help. Often, just describing how you feel is a great place to start. Remain calm, yet firm in your words. Mean what you say. Offer to be a safe space to listen. Avoid setting expectations, but encourage a treatment plan.

In a lot of cases, addiction is a way of self-medicating. Common mental illnesses associated with addiction are:

• Anxiety: Anxiety disorder is defined as causing intense worry or fears that can disrupt daily activities.
• Depression: Depression is a crippling mood disorder that can impair one’s ability to participate in daily activities. 
• Post-traumatic stress disorder: Post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, follows an event that leaves a strong physiological impact. This can be an injury, war, car accident, etc. 

It’s important to note that just because someone has a co-existing mental illness and substance abuse disorder, it does not always mean that one is the result of the other. When a mental illness does develop as a result of addiction, substances have likely harmed brain function. 

On the other hand, when these illnesses are present before addiction, substances can be a way of self-medicating – or a crutch for masking those feelings. In that case, over time, it is typical for substance abuse to make pre-existing illnesses worse. Other times, these disorders or illnesses can be hereditary. Most of the time when a mental illness is inherited, signs will show earlier in life. 

Recovery Beach is equipped to handle dual-diagnosis cases. Dual-diagnosis helps individuals that are suffering from an addiction and mental behavior disorder. With our treatment, patients can learn to beat addiction and continue to live their life while dealing with their mental disorder.

For an intervention to have the best chance of being successful, all parties must be on the same page. Make sure your team is full of people who will be helpful and stay strong. Avoid inviting other addicts to participate, unless circumstances require. Doing plenty of research beforehand will make the process smoother. An intervention specialist can help every step of the way. It can be an intimidating venture, but one that can pay off greatly. Let Recovery Beach help with your intervention to ensure that your loved one gets the help they need and no harm is done during the process.

If you have a loved one in Orange County who needs help, Recovery Beach has intervention specialists who can help you plan and host an intervention. Additionally, our experts work with our rehab facility to provide the right treatment after the intervention is complete.

Our comprehensive medical detox program in Orange County, California may be covered by your health insurance, leaving you with minimal out-of-pocket costs for a very high level of care.