Family Intervention

Addiction does not only affect the addict but the family to! Over the years I have experienced all kinds of family dynamics when facilitating addiction education in a family intervention. If I had to pick one component that appears to be the pillar of a families need it would be communication, and learning, respecting, how to hear each other's words. I find it fascinating that cultural considerations and customs, with families all around the world need that same pillar of communication to understand the person with the addiction. Each family member needs to be heard, regardless of their cultural routines and bylaws. Addiction can tear families apart, but, it also can bring them back together! Family members need to vent. The trick is to demonstrate healthy communication skills and healthy listening skills during the intervention. I'm a firm believer that one family intervention is not enough. The more time the family and the addict can come together in a respectful, helping, supportive way, allows each family member or extended family member the opportunity to build on a new healthy interpersonal relationship. I find when each family member is able to stay in their own health, and learn to stay in the moment, they begin to let the negative thoughts go. Over time, trust begins to help mend broken promises and hearts. Family intervention is a crucial step for the addict and family to develop a healthy plan that all parties share the same goal. I can't tell you how many times I have met families of addicts, that have wonderful ideas, resolutions, and are willing to work hard with open lines of communication, but forget, that the addict has to be on the same page! Balance is needed in healthy intervention. The family needs to understand how the addict feels, and is interpreting their words of concern, future challenges, and be willing to listen. The addict needs to be 100% honest with the family, and be able to receive constructive criticism when the time is right. Many people in family intervention, want to unload everything, right there, right now, and get it off their chest. This unloading component is important for the scorned family member, however, there needs to be patience for that family member and timing is everything! Each person will get their face time, honesty is imperative, but we need to be respectful, sensitive, and be in our health when we deliver our message. Remember, we want to let out our emotions, and our pain with the addict, but we need to do it in a constructive, non-judging form. Family intervention is tough! One thing to keep in mind is that everyone in the room cares, on some level, there is love and hope! Stay in your health, stay in the moment.