Drug Abuse Intervention
Why a Marijuana Intervention Might Be Needed
Many people view marijuana as a harmless drug, especially as it has become legal in some states and on the verge of being socially acceptable. For some people, smoking marijuana may not affect their overall quality of life. For many others, however, this is not the case.
For marijuana intervention, we at Family First Intervention deal with people who are basically aimless and going nowhere, who have immersed themselves in marijuana usage, and who associate with a lifestyle that completely lacks motivation. Although marijuana may be less harmful than crack, heroin or crystal meth, it remains a controlled substance that can negatively affect the direction and outcome of someone’s life.
Marijuana intervention calls are not necessarily for the drug use itself, but rather for the lifestyle that comes with it. Frankly, if your son, daughter or another family member smoked pot all the time but continued holding a job, paying bills and being responsible, you probably would not like it, but neither would you be reading this.
The point is, it does not matter what the addict is taking, how much or how little they are taking. It only truly matters what they are doing as a result of taking the drug.
The marijuana intervention calls we receive are not for people doing everything right. These calls are for people with no motivation whose pot smoking is affecting the overall quality of their life. Our marijuana intervention program is designed to make users accountable for the lifestyle that comes with the drug. Marijuana users are not going to correct a problem they do not perceive. The family has to give the problem back to them.
“The most formidable challenge we professionals face is families not accepting our suggested solutions. Rather, they only hear us challenging theirs. Interventions are as much about families letting go of old ideas as they are about being open to new ones. Before a family can do something about the problem, they must stop allowing the problem to persist. These same thoughts and principles apply to your loved one in need of help.”
Mike Loverde, MHS, CIP
Know the Signs of Marijuana Abuse
We are frequently asked at our marijuana interventions if pot is a gateway drug. Although the answer is yes, users do not have to go on to harder drugs for marijuana to be a problem in itself. In truth, there are people who smoke pot all the time who probably do not need a marijuana intervention. However, there are people who smoke pot to such a degree that it affects the overall quality of their life to the point they need help to change.
Intervention for marijuana is sometimes a preventive measure for families who believe that their loved one is “going nowhere fast.” Although the loved one is only smoking pot, he or she is probably in need of intervention to quit going down the wrong path. The last thing you want is your loved one doing harder drugs such as crack, heroin or crystal meth.
Marijuana is not as harmless as people think, as a look at some side effects reveals:
- Decreased motivation
- Problems with thinking and memory recall
- Loss of coordination
What We See During Marijuana Interventions
The reality is that when we encounter marijuana addicts during an intervention, they lack motivation and believe that everything is OK. Perhaps for them everything is fine, but what about the family that has to sit back and watch their loved one withdraw from life, knowing that he or she is capable of so much more? Our marijuana intervention program is designed to help you assist your loved one in getting back on track.
Our Marijuana Intervention Program Involves the Whole Family
Consider that if you are reading this, there is most likely a problem with your loved one regarding marijuana addiction. Merely talking your loved one into changing is not usually the best route to pursue. Remember, everything your loved one has done up to this point has led to the current unacceptable situation. Why would anyone allow the marijuana user to decide the best course of treatment for himself or herself?
When educating families during the marijuana intervention program, we stress that the family makes a decision for the addict. We do not take your loved one to treatment by force. He or she has to go willingly. However, unless the family changes the enabling behaviors that made their loved one’s addiction easier, the marijuana abuser will probably never have to change.
Marijuana addiction is a family illness. An intervention program for marijuana addiction is almost always the best way to ensure that your loved one starts getting back on track.
