Intervention is a dynamic, positive group effort designed to help individuals recognize that the use of mood-altering chemicals has disrupted their lives in some way and that treatment is available to assist them with these problems. By honestly sharing information about their behavior with an addicted individual, family members, friends and associates can motivate that person to seek help. This process "raises the bottom" for a chemically dependent individual so they do not need to wait for a tragic incident in order to gain awareness of the harm their use is causing. The offer of help is often a welcome relief to the addicted person.

An intervention specialist helps prepare participants of the intervention with how to identify and present significant information, as well as reviewing possible outcomes of the intervention. The specialist is there to provide support and assistance to everyone involved, including the addicted person.

Intervention saves lives. It may also save marriages, families, jobs, careers and offer the possibility of a bright, hopeful future. It can be a new beginning for you and someone you care about. If you are interested in more information about the intervention process or need a referral to an intervention specialist in your home area, please contact the Admission Department at Glenbeigh Rock Creek or any of the Outpatient Centers.

• Your behavior is causing significant damage in your life.

• Denial is preventing you from fully appreciating the damage the addiction is doing to you and your life.

• You're unlikely to seek help on your own.

• The people involved with you can change the environment by changing the enabling system — making it more likely that you will seek help.

• The sense of genuine concern and understanding conveyed by the interventionist is one of the most important factors in influencing you to seek help.

• Anger and punitive measures have no place in interventions, because they increase your defenses, making it less likely you'll seek help.

• The consequences for not going into treatment should not be designed to punish but rather to protect your health and well being.

• You require an initial period of intensive treatment such as a 28-day residential program or an intensive outpatient program to address your denial.

• The intervention may be useful even if you aren't likely to go to treatment.

• The intervention isn't a confrontation. Rather, it is a well-organized expression of genuine concern for you, given a chronic and serious addiction problem.