When someone close to you struggles with an addiction to drugs or alcohol, all you want to do is help. If your loved one's addiction or behavior has gotten worse, you might consider an intervention with an option for the addict to go to a recovery center to get treatment and help to get and stay sober.

If you do consider an intervention, understanding what steps you should follow and the addict's possible responses to the intervention can help you make the process go as smoothly as possible.

Gather the Participants

The first thing you should do when you plan an intervention is to gather everyone you want involved together to talk about how you want the intervention to go. Most interventions include family members, friends, and other important people in the addicted person's life.

If you can involve an addiction specialist, such as a counselor, therapist, or psychologist who has worked with addicts, consider having them present to help your loved one out of denial if they are ready to face the facts about their addiction and the harm it's causing.

Pick a Leader or Go With a Pro

Choose someone to lead the group who can guide the conversation and stay calm when emotions run high. Some people choose to hire a professional interventionist to help fill this role and assist with planning and setting up treatment if the addict agrees to go.

Set Goals

Next, you should make some specific goals about what you hope to achieve with the intervention. The goal is often to get the addict to go to an addiction recovery center, but sometimes other goals, such as seeking mental health help from a psychiatrist or to seek outpatient treatment for their addiction.

Pick a Place and Time

Choose a safe, comforting place to hold the intervention. Try to select a date and time when the addicted loved one isn't likely to be high or in withdrawal.

Most people choose to write letters to read to the addict during an intervention so they don't forget anything they want to say when they are in the middle of the intervention meeting and highly emotional.

Arrange Treatment

Make arrangements for the addict's treatment plan if they agree. Ideally, the addict would leave the intervention meeting place and go directly to treatment, particularly if they're going to inpatient treatment. You may be able to pre-register your loved one or fill out some paperwork ahead of time.

Prepare for the Outcome

Try to get yourself mentally and emotionally ready for any outcome. Interventions are often very successful in getting addicts to seek treatment, but some people will refuse to enter treatment because they aren't ready yet. When you're still in the planning stage of the intervention, you can decide whether there will be any consequences if your loved one doesn't agree to go to treatment.

For more information about addiction treatment, contact an addiction recovery center.