If your loved one continues to experience consequences related to their use of alcohol, drugs or other behaviors, it is time to consider intervention services.  Intervention is the process of helping someone who does not want help.  Southworth Associates specializes in helping highly resistant individuals, find the motivation to seek treatment.  This is done through a specialized process known as, Intervention.  It is not uncommon for families to feel helpless or somehow “at fault” when they have a loved one using alcohol and drugs.  The process of intervention is not just for the individual using substances.  The Southworth Associates intervention process starts with education and affirming the family’s decision to take action.  While you may feel alone now, our team has experienced the pain of alcoholism and addiction, firsthand.  Our team is standing by to answer questions, listen and support you in this process.  Serving Boise and the entire state of Idaho for over 20 years, Southworth Associates can help move your family and loved ones out of crisis and in to healing.  To learn more about what an interventionist is and how we can help you and your loved ones, contact our team today at 844.521.0560 or 208-323-9555.

More About Alcohol

While alcohol is the second leading substance to cause premature death (second to tobacco), alcohol appears less harmful to many.  This is typically a misconception related to alcohol being legal and socially acceptable.  While many harmful drugs are legal, this does not reduce the risks associated with their use.  In fact, when you talk to an alcoholic in early recovery, they often report not knowing anything was wrong.  So how can we determine normal alcohol use, or even heavy use, from true alcoholism?  Typically, alcoholism is associated with consequences.  These consequences can vary from obvious, (complete destitution, visual impairment regularly, multiple alcohol-related arrests) to less obvious examples (missing the occasional family function, unreliability, minor irritability, or depression).  It is also not uncommon for those with alcohol use disorders, to be extremely high functioning and successful.  Yet, when they set the goal to discontinue or minimize their drinking, they eventually falter.  This is often mislabeled as a “weakness” or “lack of willpower”.  After decades of research, science has established alcoholism and other substance use disorders, as a brain disease, resulting in impaired cognitive functioning.  This results in the individual’s inability to access their rational decision-making abilities in times of duress.  

How do I know when to Intervene? 

It is common for families and friends of someone abusing alcohol or drugs, to minimize the severity of the issue.  Thoughts such as, “maybe I am making too big a deal of this” or “it is none of my business” are common comments we hear and discuss throughout the intervention process.  We encourage you to take a brief tally of consequences you have noticed specifically related to their use of alcohol or drugs.  How has this person drinking, or drug use affected the family, kids or friends?  When a person’s drinking starts to worry or harm others, this is indisputable evidence of a problem.