How to Stage an Alcohol Abuse Intervention

I know addiction is a disease and I know that you never wanted this to happen. I’ve been searching for any way I could help you and I mean any way. I will do whatever it takes to help you stay on the road to recovery.

how to write a letter to alcoholic at intervention

I expect one of your growing number of health issues will soon lead to me becoming your carer. For now, I will sit here enjoying the sun, and try to be grateful for what I have. It is normal for someone with an addiction to feel ashamed of themselves and become defensive when confronted about their substance misuse. This makes it important to start with a statement of compassion, so your loved one does not feel attacked and shut down when hearing your letter. You can begin by telling them you understand addiction is not easy to manage and they must be struggling immensely with their drug or alcohol addiction. Not only are we confronting our loved ones about a debilitating addiction, but somehow we have to maintain our composure throughout the event to get our point across.

Our levels of care

Additionally, addiction is still stigmatized, and many people are ashamed to get help or even speak about having substance issues. Your letter should clearly state that you know that your loved one is sick, not a bad person. You can express that you know addiction is not a choice, but rather a sickness from which they can recover.

  • If you refuse treatment, I will open a separate bank account and prevent you from accessing my money, so you can’t spend it on drugs.
  • In my experience, very few interventions require the use of a ‘bottom line’ to influence the alcoholic to accept help.
  • When I call home to check in, if it is too late in the evening, you’re drunk.
  • Write your letter when you feel clear-headed and calm.

There’s no affection and we haven’t had sex for 18 months. Sheer stubbornness on my part, I think; determination to prove friends and family wrong. I’m bound by fear that, if we separate, you might spiral further and affect our children even more than you have already. Once how to do an intervention for an alcoholic every member of the intervention team has had a chance to speak, the addict should be presented with detailed suggestions for a treatment plan. The addict can accept the offer then and there, or the team may be willing to give them a few days to weigh their options.

Get our newsletter and receive news on addiction, intervention and our company

I have no doubt from observing you that you hated every day you used substances. I can see how your life was out of control, spiraling into a pit of hurt and despair. https://ecosoberhouse.com/ You became so lost that the helping hands of others could not even be grasped. We are able to reply only to those whose contributions we are going to use.

  • There is no need for small talk or beating around the bush.
  • The show reflects the reality of many formal interventions.
  • However, giving up alcohol for good and accepting a life of sobriety is the only way some people are able to move past addiction.
  • It’s not uncommon for people to be unaware of their addiction or resistant to the idea of long-term rehab, so many families face the challenge of getting a loved one into treatment.
  • However, this company knows its onions, and my term paper was clearly written by a native speaker.

It’s just perfect for my class, and there’s no way my professors know I’m cutting corners. Finally, I found someone to do my essay for me, no questions asked. Upload the prompt and rubric—get the paper in a week or so. Review your order and choose a secure payment option to cover the cost, and we’ll assign an expert to your case as soon as the payment goes through. It’s important to know how your loved one feels about their acts. Sharing your emotions, both positive and negative, is perfectly acceptable as long as they are presented in a non-confrontational manner.

More from Addiction 101

But they were able to create a moment of grace for her, in which she made the sacred choice to change her life. If I show up at your house late in the evening, you’re drunk. I see it in your eyes, hear it in your speech and watch you move back and forth from the kitchen cupboard to the couch, with an occasional trip to the garage to drink from your hidden supply.

I will never forget you with your friends, just being kids without a care in the world. I was so proud of you, and when you turned around and I saw our last name on your jersey, it brought me to tears. I remember the day your mother and I found out we were having a child. The life and future of someone I had never met flashed in front of me. I thought of how I would try my hardest to be the best father I could be. The intervention participants will acknowledge their need for help while asking the substance user to join them on a path to recovery.

You got high the day of my sister’s wedding, and I had to go to the wedding alone. I wanted to enjoy the special day with you, but instead I had to leave you behind and worry about your safety while I was gone. Some interventions are more carefully structured than others. However, regardless of the model used, it is likely that you will need to prepare what you will say ahead of time. This preparation helps to accomplish the goal of the intervention and prevents sudden outbursts of anger or accusations that can be detrimental.

  • You must have consequences prepared if they do not accept help.
  • It’s challenging to help a loved one struggling with any type of addiction.
  • Planning and staging an intervention can be a lengthy process.
  • Be honest about your concerns and feelings and try to explain how their addiction is affecting you and others.

As a result, sometimes unscripted dialogue in an addiction intervention can do more harm than good. It’s not uncommon for people to be unaware of their addiction or resistant to the idea of long-term rehab, so many families face the challenge of getting a loved one into treatment. In many of these cases, an addiction intervention is necessary. If you have previously been enabling addiction or providing a little too much sympathy for a disease in need of treatment, use this section to set boundaries. Explain what you will and won’t continue to do, like ceasing to provide housing if sobriety isn’t maintained or cutting off financial support until treatment is completed. Don’t be overly flattering or insincere in your letter; this is not helpful, and your lack of sincerity will likely come across to the subject of an intervention.

Alcohol Intervention Letter

Rather than lecturing your loved one about their choices, focus on how their addiction has made you feel. This clarity will help them see how their choices are affecting others. The letter’s goal is to get your point across without overwhelming the person you are trying to help.