Interventions have gotten a lot more recognition in recent years due to a television show by the same name. Since 2005, A&E’s Intervention has brought the intervention process into people’s homes and into the public sphere. Regardless of what we may think of the show itself, it has created some beliefs that must be addressed when it comes to addiction recovery.

One, interventions are much more involved and complex than can be gleaned from a 45-minute television show. Two, interventions are just the first step of recovery. While the subject is barely broached in the television show, the following steps of going to a recovery center and implementing a recovery plan are just as pivotal.

However, interventions can be highly effective tools to get young girls the addiction recovery help they need. While Elk Mountain Girls Academy doesn’t focus on interventions, we have seen how they can be effective in helping to get your daughter into the right recovery center. Many times that recovery center has been ours at Elk Mountain Girls Academy.

What Exactly Is an Intervention for Addiction Recovery?

The goal of an intervention is to intervene in the destructive behaviors caused by active addiction. This confrontation with an individual is done in order the break the cycle of addiction and get the individual onto a new path.

However, there is a lot more to an intervention than simply stepping between an individual and their addiction. Because an intervention can be complicated, it can be helpful to enlist the help of a professional interventionist. These professionals can orchestrate a successful intervention if that is what’s required to deliver your daughter to the next stage of recovery.

What Does an Intervention for Addiction Recovery Look Like?

While there are now interventions for many types of addictions, the primary intervention is still for alcohol and/or substance use disorder (SUD). For SUD intervention, there are a few steps that must take place.

One of these steps includes meeting with an addiction intervention specialist to determine the severity of your daughter’s addiction issues. This can help you determine a timeline, the type of recovery center that needs to be lined up, and the boundaries that must be set.

These boundaries are crucial when it comes to an intervention, and they are not set by the individual that is struggling. Instead, they are set by family members and loved ones. Some boundaries may include cutting off financial assistance, severing interactions with other members of the family, and drawing up an agreement that if legal troubles arise they will be “on their own.” These boundaries can be very difficult for parents to accept, but we must remember that the long-term alternative is much worse than the minor discomfort now.

Does an Intervention for Addiction Recovery Make Sense for Adolescents?

Regarding the question of whether an intervention is right for younger people, the answer is absolutely yes. If your daughter is at the point in her addiction where an intervention is being considered, then it is most likely the right time to further investigate it.

When it comes to adolescents and addiction, time is of the essence. Their brains still developing, which makes them more susceptible to long-term biological harm. Also, the actions that happen in their youth can greatly affect their opportunities moving forward. An example is the potential to get into a good college.

Also, if you feel like an intervention is too extreme for a young person, please know that it is not uncommon to feel that way. However, interventions for young people are done all of the time. Ultimately, it doesn’t matter what age an individual is. When addiction takes hold, it is time to get help. The good news is that there are a lot of great treatment options that can help after an intervention occurs.

What Are the Benefits of Addiction Recovery?

Addiction recovery is never a short-term process. It is a life-long journey. That doesn’t mean that your daughter will be in treatment forever. This just means that addiction recovery is a lot more than simply stopping the use of substances. It is about getting real-time help that can offer long-term recovery.

At Elk Mountain Girls Academy, we approach our students’ recovery in three ways. One, we focus on their academic achievement. Addiction often devastates academic progress, so we work to get that back on track. Two, we focus on behavioral change. For those struggling with addiction, we use therapy to get to the underlying emotions that are triggering the addiction. We can then work to change the behaviors that stem from those emotions. Three, we utilize the teachings of Jesus Christ to impart the importance of spirituality to our students. Now, this does not mean that our students must become Christians, rather it means that they can utilize these teaching to find what kind of spiritual life works for them.

To us, interventions are much more than a weekly television show. They can be the inflection point that your daughter needs to get her life on the right path. Once she’s on that path, we’ll be right there to light the rest of the way.

Interventions can be a critical way by which we get a loved one the recovery help that they need. These interventions are not limited to those over the age of 18. Interventions can be highly beneficial for adolescents who are struggling with alcohol and/or substance use disorder and need to get help. However, it is important to understand that an intervention is a complex process with a lot of moving parts. For that reason, it can be essential to first reach out to a professional interventionist to make sure the process runs smoothly. For more information on how an intervention can help your loved one accept the help they need, please reach out to Elk Mountain Girls Academy at (888) 403-0346.