Intervention: Part 3

Notice, the presence or lack of intelligence is no where to be found in
the risks for developing the disease of addiction. That's because it IS
a disease. Comments such as “He's too smart to become an addict”
make no more sense than saying, “He's too smart to get cancer (or
heart disease, or diabetes, or Alzheimer's, etc.) Sadly, our society still
holds on to the notion that addiction is a moral weakness. This
perpetuates the stigma associated with the disease, feeding the
denial that prevents early recognition and treatment. If treatment isn't
started at the earliest signs, it will progress through a predictable
course. Without treatment, the individual will eventually die as a
result of the disease. This is why addiction is been described as
"unnecessarily fatal" since evidence based treatment protocols do
work.

Treatment is delayed because of the denial in the addict and of those
surrounding the addict. Treatment is delayed because of the myth
that "an addict can stop using if they want to. They just don't want
to." Treatment is delayed because of the misconception that they
must "hit rock bottom before treatment will be successful."
Intervention is a technique used to create an ARTIFICIAL BOTTOM by
allowing the negative consequences of substance misuse to apply
pressure to the addict to enter treatment. When an intervention team
composed of family, friends, and colleagues, confront the addict with
factual information pointing to their addiction, it becomes more
difficult to continue denying the obvious. Even if they DO continue in
denial, allowing the full weight of the consequences of their actions
to fall on them can be the final “tool” to break through their denial
and get them into treatment. Unfortunately, the DENIAL of family,
friends and colleagues must first be overcome before the denial of
the addict can be addressed. This is where education by an
interventionist or a state peer assistance advisor is crucial. If you
think a colleague or family member may be suffering with substance
misuse disorder, please contact a member of the peer assistance
committee. We are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

We've been there. We know the desperation and isolation this
disease causes. There is hope. No one has to continue living in the
hell-on-earth called "addiction”.

Contact us. Take that first step to get you or the one you love the
help they need and deserve.