Co-Occurring Intervention That Works

Co-Occurring Intervention That Works

Staging an intervention for someone who has an addiction is never easy, however when the person who has an addiction also suffers from a mental disorder staging an intervention takes on a whole new dynamic. To make the intervention even more difficult is that people with a mental disorder may be harder to convince to seek treatment and when they do the treatment is likely to be less effective unless the mental disorder is also treated.

On the other hand, the addiction may actually mask symptoms of the mental disorders making it difficult to tell which behaviors are due to the addiction and which behaviors are due to the disorder. So how do you stage an intervention that works?

A Co-Occurring Intervention Has the Best Chance of Success

In order to increase the chances of the intervention’s success then you will need to stage a co-occurring intervention. A co-occurring intervention is one in which the intervention addresses both the addiction and the mental disorder simultaneously.

Since most of us know little about mental disorders or their diagnosis, it is best to stage the intervention with a trained professional who is knowledgeable about co-occurring interventions so that the chances of reaching your loved ones to seek treatment are increased.

A professional who is knowledgeable and trained in co-occurring intervention can address both the addiction and the mental disorder at the same time allowing your loved one to know that they are going to get treatment for both problems at one and the same time.

Professional Can Discuss Customized Plans With Your Loved Ones

A professional who understands the necessities of dealing with both your loved one’s issues at one and the same time can come to the intervention and be able to discuss a customized treatment plan that is designed specifically for the person suffering from the dual diagnosis.

In addition, they can recommend treatment centers that specialize in dual-diagnosis so that your loved one knows that is somewhere they can go to get the help they need for both of their mental disorder and their addiction.

The truth is that people with mental disorders who become addicted to drugs or alcohol may have started using these substances to help them deal with the way their mental issues made them feel and won’t be open to treating their addiction without knowing they can get help for their mental disorder as well. A professional that can reassure your loved one that both of their conditions will be treated will be more likely to bring about a successful intervention. Being able to prove to the individual that there are treatment facilities available that can be given to them the customized treatment they need may go a long way into convincing the person to seek treatment.

You do need to keep in mind that while co-occurring interventions lead by a professional has a great chance of working, there is no guarantee that your loved one will be ready to commit to treatment, it may take two or three such interventions before your loved one is ready to admit they have problems that they are unable to handle on their own and be ready to seek treatment.