Alcohol Intervention

When Intervention Leaves You No Other Options

A forcible intervention should be the last option exercised, when you have exhausted all others, and stare at tragedy in the face of a best friend, a lover or a family member.

We can believe that we are born with free will and the right to make our own decisions, but sometimes someone you love is sick and cannot make his or her own decisions. Whether they are addicted to alcohol, heroin, prescription meds, scammed all of their friends and taken to prostitution or other illegal acts to support their habit, they are still your friend or family member, someone you know inside and out.

Addiction can blur a persons perspective and their ability to objectivly look at their own situation. Sometimes when things are bad enough you have to step in through addiction intervention. Because that person is no longer making decisions of his or her free will. In those cases, you are their will.

So why wait to exercise a forcible intervention if you see a friend or loved one spiraling out of control? Why not intervene at the first signs of sickness?

Because a forcible intervention of any kind brings with it risks to yourself — both legal and physical — and risks to your loved one. Make sure you take all precautions and consult with a paid intervention specialist before you forcibly intervene, and it is a good idea to hire a proffesional interventionist for the intervention itself, especially if your loved one must be confined.

There is a fine line between an intervention and being a vigilante.

Addiction Intervention Risks

• Your friend may feel threatened and lash out. Imagine yourself as a heroin junky. A junky is sick and more importantly, his or her world appears normal. It may look awful from your perspective, but to the sick person, it is normal. Now imagine you are going about your normal life when you are confined against your will and told your old world no longer exists. As you can see it would be quite traumatic. People who fear for their very well being act irrationally. Please be careful.
• You may face a civil suit or be detained yourself. For instance, if your friend is in a cult with which he has signed papers, they may be well organized and backed financially. You could become embroiled in a suit where you could be charged with anything from kidnapping to theft.

In sum, before you intervene, consult a lawyer, an intervention specialist, and learn all local, state and federal laws. Hire professionals and act where possible, in tandem with your local government or law enforcement agency for the best possible outcome in this very difficult situation.