Intervention Tips

What do we mean by “intervention”? If you’ve educated yourself about the signs of drug abuse, learned about the different drugs of abuse, and suspect that a person you care about is using drugs, it’s time to talk to them.

You can intervene either informally or formally. An informal intervention is when you talk to the person about your observations and concerns. A formal intervention is when you bring others with you to talk to the person about how his/her drug use has affected everyone. The formal intervention is usually used after informal interventions have failed.

The main purpose of an intervention is to ask the person you care about to address the problem and get the help they need. The sooner an intervention takes place, the better the chances are of preventing serious problems from developing. Don’t wait until something serious happens to address your concerns.

More detailed information on intervention can be found on the following sites:

• The Partnership for a Drug-Free America
  
• National Intervention Referral
  
• Intervention Resource Center
  
• HBO Addiction Project