Intervention in Drug Addiction
April 11, 2008
Drug abuse has been reported to affect one in 100 people across the United States. Drug addiction affects more than the person using the drug. The drug abuse affects family, friends, and co-workers.
This is apparent by so many drug treatment centers which offer counseling to the families of drug addicts.Intervention can help save the life of a drug addict. This intervention can come from a family member or a friend. Help can be administered in many ways to someone suffering from drug addiction. The first step is to quit enabling the addict. Enabling means helping the addiction.
A person may feel they are no longer enabling another by refusing to lend money or not giving the drug addict a place to sleep for the night. It goes much further than this. The term “tough love” is used in many intervention programs because it is tough to realize what must be done to stop enabling the person with the drug addiction.
Admitting you know about the problem is the first step. The addict may be surprised by this acknowledgment. They feel the drug problem is a well kept secret. Talking with the drug addict and expressing concern over their “little problem” is not acknowledgment. Telling the drug addict you know and will no longer be able to help them is acknowledgment.
You must be calm. You must not enter into a debate or argument over the issue. Drug addiction is a disease which allows the person to feel justified in their substance abuse. They will make excuses for their actions and possibly blame you for their problem. Do not enable them to pass the blame. Stand firm in your decision to confront the drug addict. Remain undaunted by the painful reactions. This is the first step in intervention.
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