Battling addiction can be one of the toughest things a person may do in their lifetime, no matter if they’re battling meth addiction, heroin addiction or drug and alcohol addiction to name a few.
Those addictions can also take a toll on an individual’s friends and family. There’s nothing worse than watching a locked in a never-ending battle that’s completely taken control of their life.
Since 2007, the number of American using heroin has steadily increased. Alcohol may be one of the most common abused substances in the United States, but it’s estimated that nearly a million people each year deal with heroin addiction in the U.S.
If you’ve got a friend or loved one struggling with heroin addiction, staging a heroin intervention may be the best way to help them change their lives. The good news is that more than 90% of people get help after an intervention, but when staging a heroin intervention, you need to keep these things in mind:
- Pick the right team: A heroin intervention has to be done with people the addict knows and trusts. Family intervention services may be able to help as well. It’s very important to choose wisely who participates in a heroin intervention. The people there are folks who can really through to the addict and help them change their lives.
- Pick the right time: When you hold a heroin intervention, you want to pick a time where the addict is sober and can really absorb what’s being said and is able to think and act in a calm manner.
Don’t be fooled; staging an intervention of any kind is never an easy thing. The important thing to remember is to be calm and remember that the goal is to help your friend or loved one in need.
That’s why words are very important during an intervention. As you communicate during a heroin intervention or any other kind of intervention, you need to do so clearly and mean exactly what you say. What you say has power, so speak carefully.
Things You Should Say
So what the heck are you supposed to say? How do you find just the right words? Know that what you say doesn’t need to be written down and read like a script. But it should be absolutely genuine and honest. You need to really express how you feel and how you want to see your friend or loved one get the help they need. Remember, addiction is a disease so even if an addict knows they need help, they may not be able to get it on their own.
Remember to speak carefully and calmly. Interventions aren’t easy and it can be very hard, even painful to tell an addict to their face how their actions have affected those they know and love. There may be some very hurtful things said by an addict, even accusations, but you need to stay focused and remind them they are loved and that getting help is possible.
Remember that a heroin intervention or a drug and alcohol intervention isn’t a chance to attack an addict when they’re down. It’s important to make an intervention about yourself (especially by using “I” statements) and to hurl accusations. This is never easy for anyone, but you don’t need to sling mud, no matter how bad you may be hurting.
Things You Shouldn’t Say
There’s no doubt emotions run high during interventions, that’s why you need to stay calm and not overreact. Whatever you say, good or bad, should never be said with angry intent. The addict is likely to get angry at some of the things being said, but you can’t get angry with them. Don’t call them names and focus on positive things about them and how you’d like to help them, instead of focusing on negatives and failures.
Done the right away, an intervention can successfully change a person’s life and help them get the treatment they need. By planning carefully, gathering the right people and using the right words, you can help the person you love get help and escape the throws of addiction.
