Before intervention became a household term, there were many families who felt frustrated and powerless in the face of drug addiction. Parents, brothers and sisters of a drug addict felt they could not do anything except to watch in horror as a member of the family succumbs to the negative effects of drug abuse. However, in the 1960s there were those who began to develop drug and alcohol intervention strategies.
As a result of the intervention strategies that were developed for families, there were many individuals who found assistance. One of the various strategies that could be employed in the face of a family crisis like drug and alcohol addiction is knowledge acquisition. Family members and key players in a family intervention must educate themselves with regards to the intricacies of family intervention.
Family members do not need to hire a professional, however, it is an option that must be considered in order to minimize mistakes. For instance, a professional could help families to sidestep certain problematic aspects of the intervention framework. Without the guiding hand of a professional interventionist, it is possible that so much time would be wasted using a trial and error approach.
One of the first things to remember when it comes to intervention is the fact that an addict is facing problems that goes beyond the chemical effects of drugs and alcohol. Family members should consider hiring a professional when there is a history of mental illness because there are so many factors to consider. It is possible that an inexperienced interventionist will try to deal with addiction and yet the problem that has manifested before them is linked to a mental health issue.
Family members must consider hiring a professional if the drug addict or the person suffering from alcoholism has demonstrated abusive or violent behavior. Family members must also consider seeking the assistance of a professional when there is evidence that indicated deep and long lasting depression. A professional is needed when intervention has been done in the past and yet the patient went into a relapse.
It interesting to note that in the state of Texas there are several drug and alcohol rehab facilities that offer professional assistance. An example is the Touchstone recovery ranch. An important feature of this rehab facility is that it is located inside a ranch because of the innovative strategy of using the patient’s love for horses to assist the healing process. If interested, use a computer’s search tools and apply the following search terms: ranch drug and alcohol rehab Texas; Touchstones rehab; and drug rehab with horses.
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