Alcohol Treatment
When an individual has an alcohol problem, his best course of action is to seek alcohol treatment. One of the most important parts of this treatment is support, as the alcoholic has a much harder time defeating his battle if he has no one to help him. Peer support groups such as Al-anon can be particularly helpful as well as seeking a counselor’s help. Some individuals make the mistake of not practicing "tough love", aiding the alcoholic or addict drink or use drugs by covering up for them, or tuning a "blind eye".
If you would like to provide intervention for an alcoholic, do not do it yourself because the process can be very complex and risky. Find a counselor who can help you round up an intervention team, preferably people who have been negatively affected by the individual’s drinking, such as family, friends, employer, coworkers, or physician. Everyone should be in agreement that the drinking is a grave issue and alcohol treatment is imperative. The people you gather people should be willing and able to intervene. Selecting individuals who are "weak" or are battling their own alcohol problem will not help the situation. Select individuals who possess the strength to be truthful to the alcoholic.Each person who has been affected by the alcoholic’s drinking is advised to write him a letter, outlining the specific incidents where this has occurred. The letter should state that they want the alcoholic to receive alcohol treatment, and the actions they will take if he doesn’t go. They should tell the alcoholic that they will not guard him from the penalties of his drinking anymore. Taking specific actions will show the alcoholic that they are serious. For an example, an employer may terminate the alcoholic, or the spouse may move out of their home, or the children may refuse to let the alcoholic be isolated with the grandchildren.
When seeking alcohol treatment for the alcoholic, select a good treatment center and ensure they have a bed open. Practice the intervention with another member of the intervention team; one of you should play the patient. Use professionals to conduct the meeting and everyone should attempt to be loving and gentle when handling the alcoholic. Everyone should anticipate the alcoholic being defensive, because that’s the effect of alcoholism. At that point, everyone should convey to the alcoholic that they care about him, and why they want him to receive alcohol treatment.
The designated individual(s) should pack the patients bag and have the necessary transportation to the rehab center ready. Select a time when the alcoholic is not drunk, generally in the morning, and escort him to a neutral facility, so a private meeting can be conducted; it is not wise to use the alcoholic's home. When the alcoholic agrees to go to treatment or the professional feels that the meeting has served its purpose, then the intervention process is finished. The majority of interventions take approximately one hour, resulting in the alcoholic going to alcohol treatment.
