Staging an intervention for a loved one can be one of the most important parts of their journey toward long-lasting sobriety and wellness. It is also one of the most difficult and taxing, making it vital that you prepare for it fully and think through all outcomes.

In today’s article, we will be taking a close look at interventions, the role they play in recovery, and examining a few of the most common intervention planning mistakes so that you can account for and avoid them while planning your own.

What Should You Not Do During an Intervention?

Many people tend to focus almost entirely on what should be done in an intervention, but it is equally important to consider the things that you should not be doing as well. The following ten mistakes are the most common intervention errors we tend to see time and time again. 

Considering them before the event can significantly reduce the likelihood of your intervention failing, as well as provide a few helpful family intervention tips for those researching how to stage an intervention.

1. Centering Blame Over Healing

Sometimes, due to the inherent emotional nature of interventions, the tone of the conversation can shift to one of blame and accusation rather than healing. While these feelings are natural and valid, they are not helpful in the context of an intervention designed to help your loved one achieve sobriety.

2. Not Utilizing Professional Help

Professional assistance and guidance throughout the entire process (starting with the initial planning and continuing to support long after the fact) can be a significant difference maker. They will be able to spot any major flaws in your plan and help find solutions if and when things go wrong or feel impossible.

3. Becoming Overly Emotional

While it is inevitable that your intervention will be a highly emotional event, you must always remember the end goal: helping your loved one live a sober life to their fullest potential. As such, sticking to facts and always circling back to the throughline of recovery and wellness can go a long way toward the intervention being a success.

4. Continued Enablement

A certain degree of enablement is likely to be found in any family dealing with substance use disorder. This can take a variety of forms, ranging from continued financial support or emotional codependency. Allowing these emotions to seep into the intervention itself can derail and disrupt its potential success.

5. Choosing the Wrong Time or Location

You can do everything right during the intervention, saying just the right things with the perfect action plan afterward, but if it is not said and done at the right time, it can all be for nothing. 

Carefully consider when and where you hold the intervention. Keep in mind any emotional significance of places, potential triggers, and what the individual will be doing directly before the intervention takes place.

6. No Unified Message

Every individual person included in the intervention will bring their own thoughts and opinions into the event. This is normal and unavoidable. Keep this in mind to help reduce any wandering and miscommunication of the central message of them getting better and finding happiness.

7. Being Aggressive and Confrontational

The likelihood of something going wrong or the plan you have in your mind for the intervention being disrupted is high. If and when this happens, it is critical that you remain calm and level-headed. If necessary, take a moment to collect your thoughts before continuing. This is a far better alternative than saying something you may regret or can not take back later.

8. Involving the Wrong People

Sometimes it is better not to include certain people in the intervention, even if they are close to the person suffering from substance use disorder. Carefully consider the personalities of every person attending, and think critically about any potential clashes or fighting that may ensue.

9. No Actionable Plan

One of the worst things that can happen during an intervention is having somebody that is willing to seek help, but does not know what to do or how to proceed. Make sure that you have a few relevant resources and actionable next steps that they can take right away if receptive.

10. Poor Support After

An intervention does not end once everybody goes home. In successful interventions, this is only the beginning. Once you and your loved one have created an actionable plan that works for their unique needs, it is crucial to continually follow up with them and make sure that they feel loved, supported, and held accountable as they work toward long-lasting sobriety.

Of course, it is impossible to ever fully ensure that an intervention is a success and inspires the person suffering from substance use disorder to seek out long-term care. These ten mistakes can serve as an addiction intervention guide to help you while you are planning your own. 

Never Alone Recovery Is Here to Help

If you or a loved one is struggling with substance use disorder or needs assistance in building a strong sober support network, please do not hesitate to give us a call today at 844-365-4445 for a free consultation to see how we can help you begin your journey toward long-term sober living, regardless of background.

Never Alone Recovery is an Indiana rehab facilitator with a team of dedicated, full-time addiction recovery consultants on staff who work around the clock to provide free drug rehab placement services and find insurance approved rehab options for those in need. 

The mission of the Never Alone program is to offer support and unyielding compassion to those suffering from mental health issues and substance use disorder, as well as their loved ones, regardless of income or financial means. 
In addition to this article, we have an extensive library of online resources and a 100% free online support group that meets weekly. No matter where you are in your recovery journey, remember that you’re never alone.