What Happens if an Intervention Failed?

Sometimes, family interventions don’t go as planned or don’t have the outcome family and friends desire, like a loved one agreeing to a recovery plan. Don’t give up hope. If an intervention doesn’t have the intended effect, the seeds of information and support have been planted, and there are always ways to move forward and continue guiding your loved one toward the empowering journey of healing.

 

An unplanned outcome doesn’t mean your effort was a failure. Instead, it means continuing to work as a team, supporting the boundaries that have been put in place, and adjusting to continue the unified message of love, hope, and opportunity to your loved one. The most important thing to remember in this situation is to never give up; there are other options and approaches to help you plan a successful family intervention.

 

What can go wrong?

 

Here are common things that can go wrong in an intervention:

 

• Being uneducated about addiction or interventions: Family and friends often don’t understand addiction or how to plan an intervention properly. These issues can bring confusion to an intervention, causing it to feel disorganized and unsupportive. The best way to avoid this is to work with a certified addiction interventionist who has the expertise and experience to successfully plan and host an intervention.
• Having too many people involved: It is wonderful to have a supportive network of family, friends, and coworkers, but an intervention should be a small group of people who love and care for the individual and have been directly impacted by the effects of the addiction. This can also lead to disorganization or make the struggling individual feel ambushed or overwhelmed. In some cases, it may be necessary to do a surprise model intervention, where your loved one is unaware of the upcoming event. Most often, when safe, it is preferable to use the invitational model where the loved one is invited to the meeting. Don’t worry your loved one won’t want you all meeting without being there to attempt to control the conversation and outcome.
• Not planning for the post-intervention care: In some cases, an intervention does not go as intended because there are no actionable next steps for the struggling individual. Post-intervention planning is essential for a successful intervention. A certified addiction interventionist can help family members choose recovery services and treatment plans and provide immediate access to those services. During the intervention, these actionable next steps are presented to the struggling person.
• Negotiating: Many addiction interventions veer from the plan and fail to reach the desired outcomes because participants are not on the same page and do not stand their ground. Intervention participants must be on the same page and understand the goals and plan. When statements, expectations, and healthy boundaries are made, they should be immediately implemented and maintained throughout the process until the loved one is in agreement. There should be no negotiations. Participants who waiver or deviate from the plan make it easy for the individual to control the situation and use it to their benefit.
• Not using a certified addiction interventionist: It is vital to seek help from addiction intervention services and certified addiction interventionists that help plan and guide the healing process for a successful intervention and recovery. For such an important matter, it can be beneficial to contact experts to determine an approach that helps your loved one feel comfortable with making the necessary choices and changes.

 

What to do if an intervention is not working?

 

If your family intervention is not working, it is time to consult a professional addiction interventionist. An intervention should be a planned healing process that creates a space for necessary changes and helps participants learn to communicate differently. This can be very challenging and overwhelming if family members and friends are unprepared or uneducated on interventions and addiction, but an interventionist can help.

 

Hired Power is an addiction and mental health recovery service that provides a family-centered and personalized approach to the entire recovery process. Our ultimate goal is to bring people home and help them live fulfilling lives. Don’t wait until it’s too late, and don’t give up due to a failed intervention. Our team of certified addiction intervention specialists takes care of everything. We can help:

 

• Plan and implement interventions
• Find the best recovery facility or specialist for your loved one
• Organize transportation to the recovery center
• Answer questions and concerns
• Offer support and compassion
  

 

We coordinate and execute appropriate interventions, recovery plans, and next steps to help family members and struggling individuals find help with addiction. Contact us to schedule a consultation and learn more about our addiction intervention services.