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The team should include four to six people that your friend likes, loves, admires, respects, or depends upon. Each person involved should be genuinely concerned about your friend and should be willing to look her in the eye to tell her that she needs help. It won’t be an easy process, so the team has to be strong and committed to helping her. Try to include a mental health professional or addiction specialist as a part of the team. A professional can help the team stay focused on facts and solutions verses emotional responses that are not always helpful. Keep in mind that having a professional on the team is vital if your friend has any of the following conditions:  A history of violence A history of mental illness A history of suicidal behavior or she has recently talked about suicide A history of taking several mood-altering drugs or substances Be sure to have a specific plan already in place before the intervention is conducted. Spend time researching the specific addiction so that you can familiarize yourself with the types of treatment that generally work for those individuals. This is important because the type of treatment will vary depending upon the specific drug and level of addiction. Keep in mind that more severe addictions may require hospitalization or admittance into an inpatient treatment facility. However, whether inpatient or outpatient treatment is necessary, a specific treatment program that can be immediately available to your friend should be identified before the intervention is held. Here are some examples of resources that can be used:  Local clinics National organizations that offer treatment programs Local mental health providers Narcotics Anonymous, Alcohol Anonymous, Meth Anonymous, and other similar programs If travel is required, be sure that the arrangements are in place before the intervention occurs. Each person on the team has to decide what the individual consequence will be if your friend refuses to get treatment. This often results in some tough decisions and usually includes breaking contact for a period of time. Be prepared to inform your friend that you will not have any more contact with her until she agrees to go to treatment. Remember, it’s tough love but is for her ultimate good. The team is responsible for setting the date, place and time of the intervention. Try to choose a time when your friend is least likely to be under the influence. Each member of the team should come to the meeting prepared with a rehearsed message.  The focus is only on helping your friend get treatment. Do not be confrontational during the intervention. Your friend should be treated with respect during the entire meeting. It might be helpful to have a rehearsal meeting before having the actual intervention. Your rehearsed message should include specific incidents when the addiction has caused problematic behaviors. Make sure that your message is worded in a way that expresses concern for your friend. For example, you could begin by saying, “It upsets me when you use drugs. Just last week…” Be sure that you stick to the rehearsed script. Any deters can quickly result in the intervention going off course. You can make notes to bring in the session if necessary. Inform your friend of the treatment plan and require her to give you an immediate answer. The team shouldn’t give your friend a few days to think about whether or not she wants to accept the treatment offer. Allowing her additional time just reinforces her denial of the problem. Worse, she may go into hiding or participate in a dangerous binge. Require her to give you an immediate answer and be prepared to take her to treatment immediately if she agrees to the plan.  Anticipate your friend’s objections in advance. This way the team can come with prepared responses to her potential objections to treatment. Not all interventions are successful so emotionally prepare yourself for the possibility of a failed intervention. However, if your friend refuses the plan you should be prepared to follow through on the consequences that you have already identified. Once your friend has agreed to the plan, be sure to continue to provide support for her This might include agreeing to go to counseling sessions with her. It could also mean helping her to change the rituals that supported her addiction. Consider what you can do to support your friend throughout her recovery and offer that support.
Create the intervention team. Develop the plan. Decide on the consequences in advance. Conduct the meeting. Ask for an immediate decision. Follow-up with your friend after the intervention.