Intervention: Changing Directions Before It's Too Late

If we do not change our direction we are likely to end up where we are headed~ Chinese Proverb

Makes sense, doesn't it? Addiction intervention is all about changing direction. It is about changing direction as a family, changing direction regarding health and wellness. Systemic Family Intervention is an open invitation to all, including the loved one you are concerned about, to embrace an opportunity to transform . . . to heal and grow in a different direction. It is not about minor little adjustments, it is about big changes, ones that are guided and supported as you go through this process. Addiction is not little; you know that. The changes necessary to deal with it will not be little either; you know that, intuitively. You know where you have come from. You know what you have done in the past has not worked. You know that the addiction is getting worse and your best efforts have not succeeded, or not succeeded for long.

Intervention is about changing direction before a consequence results from which you and your family can not recover. There are such consequences . . . the death of a loved one, a child perhaps, from drunken driving; death resulting from alcoholic or drug-fueled anger; permanent paralysis from an injury while under the influence. Yes, the proverb is right on . . . If you don't like where you are headed make a bold, healthy move and get help in intervening so that you can head in a direction that you really wish to go . . . before it is too late.

There is Help ~ There is Hope

Early Recovery from Addiction: Why Do We Expect it Not to Feel Bad?

Why do addicts, alcoholics and their families have this delusional idea that the early stages of recovery should be anything different than the early stages of recovery from most other diseases? Perhaps it is because they have had to suffer so much to get them into recovery in the first place. Okay . . . that said, should this mean that since they've suffered so dreadfully in order to reach recovery's doorstep that the trauma of early stage recovery simply doesn't happen for them as it does with other diseases? Well, no not exactly, but early recovery from other diseases isn't as bad they think. Well, let's see.

Take a woman diagnosed with breast cancer. One day she is looking great, feeling fine, working hard, raising her three children, being a good wife to a good husband. Life couldn't be better. Oh, and she has all her hair. That day, she gets the results of her mammogram. "We've discovered something; you need to schedule a biopsy." Fast forward . . . "It's malignant; we recommend a mastectomy." Six weeks later, this healthy good looking woman who was working hard, raising her family has now undergone major surgery and is slated for chemotherapy and radiation treatments. She feels bad and she now has scars on her once scar-free body. Twelve weeks later she has no hair. Before the year is out she will have more side-effects from the chemo and radiation treatments she has undergone. This is a year from hell. But, she knew it would be and so did her family. They didn't expect it to be easy or fun. In fact, they expected quite the contrary and they prepared for it. And, during that first year after her diagnosis, they ALL did what they needed to do to treat this disease. This woman may have continued working during her chemo and radiation treatments. Many do. She continued to take care of her family, her home, her children. Her husband pitched in and so did the kids. They learned about her disease and the effects it was going to have on her and on all of them. They all made adjustments. During this year, the woman continued to live her life and take care of her disease and treatment for it. Even with all her family and work obligations, she kept her chemo and radiation treatment appointments, she found time for the surgery and the recovery, she made her doctors appointments, she rested when she was tired. And, she still managed to work, tend her family and have a life.

Many, if not most, addicts, alcoholics and their families do not have such realistic expectations of their early recovery from addiction. How many times have you heard an addict say that they don't have time to go to meetings, work with a sponsor, etc.... because they have to work? You don't hear cancer patients saying they don't have time for their chemo treatments or doctor appointments. How many times have you heard addicts, alcoholics or their families say after 3 months of recovery, "I feel worse now than before, this is too hard, forget it"? You don't hear that coming from cancer patients. They keep doing what they need to do for their recovery, whatever it takes.

The next time you hear the moanings of early recovering addicts or their families, think of the cancer patient. Getting professional consult regarding early recovery is an option to consider, not just for the addict/alcoholic but for the family as well. It will ease the struggle, enhance the recovery process and put into perspective some very unrealistic expectations.