Dealing with drug addiction can be the hardest thing to do. That is because most of these addicts don’t realize that they are suffering. For a drug addict, all they care about is getting their high, and this can be risky. Firstly, they will spend all their money on drugs without thinking about their basic needs. As we all know, drug addiction is a condition that gets worse with time. If you meet a drug addict miserable in the streets, know that they were once ordinary people with healthy lives until the drugs ruined them.
What does it mean to stage an intervention?
When someone is new to using drugs, they will look normal for a while, not knowing that they are a time bomb. When real symptoms start showing, however, even the people close to them will realize that something is wrong. This should be the right time to stage an intervention because the signs of addiction are now too apparent. For those who don’t know stage an intervention is, note that it is a way of helping a drug addict entirely. However, it requires the people close to the addict to come together and plot a solution.
What happens in a stage intervention group?
Usually, the people close to the addict decide to come together so that under the leadership of one of the members. The group first meet to discuss the condition of the patient then begin strategizing on what needs to be done. This is very important because the group needs to work in an organized manner. Drug addicts can be cunning, and without a proper plan, they can play games with you when you are thinking that they are recovering.
After the group is done and ready, the next move is usually to confront the addict. This also should be done with a lot of caution because you don’t want the addict feeling as everyone is fed up with them. The best time to confront the addict is when they are sober at least and can have a conversation. What follows should be according to the plane, and the group needs to stay intact and active until the mission is done.
The good thing with staging an intervention is that the addict gets to be helped by the people who care about them the most. Realizing this will drive them to stick to their addiction treatment because even an addict cannot stand breaking the hearts of everyone around them.
How to know when to stage an intervention
One of the main signs that it is time to stage an intervention is when you notice strange behavior with an addict. These can include a change in their schedule when they started coming home late and exhausted, avoiding everyone, including food. A change in behavior can be considered as an advanced level of addiction. That is because the body system is getting comfortable with the substance and taking control.
Increased tolerance to drugs is also not a good sign. This happens when the addict always wants a little bit more of the drug every time. They will want to have more bottles of beer whenever he or she is out for a drink with friends. This can get to a point where the addict wants to have more bottles of beer even if there is no occasion. That is how someone ends up drinking every day.
Short-term memory loss, is also known as mental fogging is another clear sign that it is time to stop the drugs. At this point, the addict will forget things so fast, and at times, cannot remember what has happened a few seconds ago. Among the worse addiction symptoms, mental fogging is the worst because the addict will no longer be useful to the community.
You can quickly point out a drug addict from the way he or she looks. They usually don’t care about their looks, and in most cases, they are untidy. No one wants to be around a smelly person, and for someone to allow themselves to smell, they must have a mental problem. Drug addicts don’t mind wearing the same clothes for even a week as long as at the end of it all; they have their drug.
Magnified emotions are also a sign of drug addiction. Note that addict is generally rebellious and will not want anyone to come between them with their drugs. They will get emotional when you attempt to stop them from doing what they want and will always be in a bad mood.
Conclusion
Staging an intervention does not entirely mean that the group is responsible for helping the addict out of the problem. Part of the solution can be convincing the addict to go for rehab. However, the group is a vital part of the recovery process because a recovering drug addict needs all the support they can get. If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, contact us for help! Addiction is a serious disease and needs to be treated as such. At Newport Beach Recovery Center, we provide everything you need to start on the path to recovery.