Families seeking to help loved ones battling alcohol or cocaine addiction should avoid giving ultimatums and act before the person hits rock bottom, a rehabilitation expert has advised.
Nick Dunkley, regional operations manager at UKAT Addiction Centres, said interventions should be calm, planned meetings rather than opportunities to vent anger or air grievances.
UKAT operates a group of rehab clinics across the United Kingdom.
Dunkley said an intervention should focus on eliciting change and connecting the person with proper support, warning that chastising an addict will only breed shame, guilt and embarrassment.
"It's often wrongly assumed there's no point trying to help an addict until they have hit 'rock bottom', the point at which the consequences of someone's addiction become so severe or unbearable that the person finally becomes willing to seek help or change," he said.
He noted that rock bottom can involve unbearable physical, financial, legal, relational or emotional issues, but warned against waiting for situations to worsen.
Medical emergency
Dunkley cited the example of actor Barry Keoghan, 33, who revealed on a podcast last year that a medical emergency caused by cocaine use led him to enter rehab.
The Saltburn star said he had been clean for two and a half years, adding: "I technically did die for a few seconds."
However, Dunkley cautioned that everyone's idea of rock bottom is different, and advised families that it is better to act sooner rather than later.
He acknowledged that staging an intervention carries the risk of driving the person away, but said families must weigh this against the consequences of doing nothing.
Research indicates that interventions can be successful. A 2009 US study found that individuals confronted by loved ones were significantly more likely to enter addiction treatment than those who were not.
Planning an intervention
Dunkley advised families to gather a small group of relatives, friends or work colleagues who the addicted person respects and will listen to.
He said professionals such as counsellors and addiction experts can be called in to mediate, but warned that an unfamiliar professional might make an anxious or depressed person extremely uncomfortable.
Family members who have suffered directly and are too emotionally involved may also be unsuitable to participate, as their justified anger could get in the way.
The intervention should take place in a quiet location without disruptions, such as a friend or relative's house.
Dunkley said approaching someone in their own home may make them feel trapped, and advised avoiding any locations that trigger substance misuse, such as a pub.
He added that interventions should never be staged when a person is intoxicated, suggesting that earlier in the day is often best.
Offering support
Families should not present ultimatums, such as telling the person: "Get help or I'll leave you."
Dunkley suggested instead offering positive solutions, telling the person: "You might feel the situation is hopeless, but we've looked at the options, and here are some things we think might be a good idea."
Families can present a researched list of treatment centres, council services and local meetings run by groups like AA.
If the person refuses to enter rehab, Dunkley said families should remain patient and compassionate rather than breaking down in tears, which could cause the individual to give up on the idea entirely.
He recommended asking if they would agree to revisit the issue in a week or two, noting that a person surprised by an intervention may need time to think.
Even if an intervention does not yield immediate results, Dunkley said it can plant the seeds of recovery that may spur the person to seek help years in the future.
"It is incredibly challenging, but a properly prepared intervention can also be incredibly powerful," he said. "It sends a potentially life-changing message: 'We don't want you to suffer. We want you to receive help because we think you're worth it.'"
