How to Get Help for Substance Abuse
The effect of substance abuse on relationships can be overwhelming.
One of the most important things to know is that help is available and how to get it.
Whether a child, a parent, or a spouse or anyone else we love, there is help and it is generally effective.
It's called family intervention and is available throughout the country.
This usually involves bringing in a professional who trains the family to deliver a successful intervention.
Most interventionists fall into three categories: ones who work for a fee, those salaried by a treatment center or some other institution, and those that work for non-profits.
The first group charges between a low of $1000 to as high as $5000 (if its more than that, you are being taken advantage of, in my opinion).
These independent interventionists are not tied to any treatment center or program.
If they are ethical and trained well, they will help find the best treatment available for the needs of your loved one.
They have no allegiance, ideally, to any center and are only paid by you.
In most larger communities there are trained Interventionists.
It's seldom necessary to fly an interventionist out and put them in a hotel.
The interventionists who are paid by treatment centers may only be able to help if treatment will take place in their center.
Some are allowed to offer help in finding any other treatment option, but this is rare.
The free services are very useful, if you know where you want your loved one to go to treatment.
Some of the centers they work for are the best in the nation.
The other interventionists are from non-profits, including AA members who are doing what is called 12th Step work.
I have trained some of these folks and I am impressed with their dedication and professionalism, even though they are not paid.
They do the work often as part of their sobriety program.
They, too, are free to offer any options as they are not tethered to any treatment center.
Despite what you may see on TV, most treatment is done in outpatient settings that meet a few times a week for 3 hours at a shot.
Inpatient residential treatment is very rare, less than 10% of those treated.
More rare and almost unnecessary are the use of geographically distant treatment centers.
You don't have to go to Malibu or Upstate New York to get great treatment in your community.
It also helps when you leave treatment to have connections in the town you live.
No matter who you use, the good news is that close to 80% of interventions end with the addict entering some form of treatment.
Treatment works for about 80% of those who enter it.
By "works" I mean government studies show improvement and significant life changes, such as reduced days missed at work, reduced legal problems, increased health and improved relationships.
Not everyone ends up being abstinent, which I would love to see as a goal, but the goal is progress, not perfection.
One of the most important things to know is that help is available and how to get it.
Whether a child, a parent, or a spouse or anyone else we love, there is help and it is generally effective.
It's called family intervention and is available throughout the country.
This usually involves bringing in a professional who trains the family to deliver a successful intervention.
Most interventionists fall into three categories: ones who work for a fee, those salaried by a treatment center or some other institution, and those that work for non-profits.
The first group charges between a low of $1000 to as high as $5000 (if its more than that, you are being taken advantage of, in my opinion).
These independent interventionists are not tied to any treatment center or program.
If they are ethical and trained well, they will help find the best treatment available for the needs of your loved one.
They have no allegiance, ideally, to any center and are only paid by you.
In most larger communities there are trained Interventionists.
It's seldom necessary to fly an interventionist out and put them in a hotel.
The interventionists who are paid by treatment centers may only be able to help if treatment will take place in their center.
Some are allowed to offer help in finding any other treatment option, but this is rare.
The free services are very useful, if you know where you want your loved one to go to treatment.
Some of the centers they work for are the best in the nation.
The other interventionists are from non-profits, including AA members who are doing what is called 12th Step work.
I have trained some of these folks and I am impressed with their dedication and professionalism, even though they are not paid.
They do the work often as part of their sobriety program.
They, too, are free to offer any options as they are not tethered to any treatment center.
Despite what you may see on TV, most treatment is done in outpatient settings that meet a few times a week for 3 hours at a shot.
Inpatient residential treatment is very rare, less than 10% of those treated.
More rare and almost unnecessary are the use of geographically distant treatment centers.
You don't have to go to Malibu or Upstate New York to get great treatment in your community.
It also helps when you leave treatment to have connections in the town you live.
No matter who you use, the good news is that close to 80% of interventions end with the addict entering some form of treatment.
Treatment works for about 80% of those who enter it.
By "works" I mean government studies show improvement and significant life changes, such as reduced days missed at work, reduced legal problems, increased health and improved relationships.
Not everyone ends up being abstinent, which I would love to see as a goal, but the goal is progress, not perfection.
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