Deciding to conduct an addiction intervention is a tough choice, but it is one that some families feel they have to make. There are many things that go into planning a drug or alcohol intervention.

One of the basic elements is providing the addict with consequences that they will face if they don’t choose to go to a rehab center. Coming up with appropriate consequences can mean the difference between whether the meeting is successful or not. A professional interventionist can help you plan all of the details in order to make the process go smoothly and be as effective as possible.Useful consequences are very specific, and they deal with things about the addiction that cause problems for friends or family members. Each person who will be involved in the intervention should come up with their own letter written to the addict, which they will read at the meeting. Some examples of effective things that people commonly mention are no longer letting the individual live with you, not giving them money for drugs and alcohol or living expenses, and notifying law enforcement if they are driving under the influence. All of these things are dependent on whether the person remains in a lifestyle of addiction. Let them know that you will support them in specific ways if they agree to get help from a drug rehab center. If they do this, the consequences are no longer relevant.

Ineffective consequences can anger the addict and may only make the situation worse. Don’t offer threats in an intervention, like cutting the person entirely out of your life, which you won’t be able to stick to. Focus on specific behaviors that you will no longer tolerate from the addict and that you will no longer engage in yourself. The individual should make the choice to go to a rehab center on their own, with encouragement from loved ones.