Many people are familiar with structured drug interventions where a group of family, friends, and a drug counselor or other professional confronts a drug abuser in a group setting. The purpose of the intervention is to get the abuser to admit they have a problem and agree to enter treatment. This familiarity might come from personal experience, an article that you read, or even from television programming that tracks various interventions.
A Different Type of Intervention
There is nothing that says a drug intervention has to be a structured event, or that it has to involve a large group of people. In fact, it doesn’t even have to include a drug counselor or other expert in the field. Beginning the process of providing substance abuse treatment can start as a conversation.
A teen intervention can be particularly effective when dealing with a teenager who is using drugs. In fact, the earlier into the drug use the conversation happens, the better the odds of success.
Planning for the Conversation
In most situations, the teen intervention starts as a conversation between the parents and their teenager who is using drugs. If that relationship is strained, the parents might want to call upon a trusted relative who has a good relationship with their teen.
Before talking to your teenager it is important to have a plan, and to ensure that both parents are in agreement on the issues. You also need to have an agreed upon action plan that includes substance abuse treatment for your teenager. This often means that teen rehab is most appropriate. To complete this portion of the planning, you might need to do some research into drug use, drug abuse, warning signs, and teen treatment options.
The final step in the planning is to select a time for the conversation. It is likely that you will need to be a bit flexible on this item as it is very important that the conversation take place when your teen is not high, drunk, or obviously under the influence. It is best to do this when your teenager is calm and able to listen, absorb, and participate in the conversation.
The Message You Want to Convey
It is very important that you express your love to your teenager, and ensure that he or she understands that you are taking this step because of your concern for his or her welfare. You also need to tell your teenager that what they have to say is important. During the conversation, all parties need to listen and be respectful of each other.
A key portion of the conversation is to express your concern for the health, welfare, and well-being of your child. As parents, these are all part of the job description, but it is important that your child understand that you are acting in their best interests and concern over teen addiction. You then need to discuss with your teen all of the behavior and warning signs that you have observed in his or her behavior that have brought you to this point. This should also include the impact that their behavior is having on the rest of the family.
Share with your teenager what you have learned in the research you have done on drug abuse. Make them aware of some of the potential results of continued drug use, including the fact that out of control drug use can lead to death.
The Results You Want to Achieve
One goal of your teen intervention is to make your child understand the risks he or she is taking by abusing drugs, and to get him or her to acknowledge that they have a problem with drugs. If you can get this much accomplished in the conversation, you have made good progress.
The ultimate goal is to get your child into a teen rehab program before their substance abuse becomes an even bigger problem. In order to achieve this goal, it will be important to listen to what your child has to say. If all parties stay calm, listen to each other, and are open and honest in what they have to say, you have a good opportunity to achieve success, or make solid progress towards your goal.
