Executive Drug Intervention
Eventually, many executives—intelligent, driven, Type A people—are able to accept that drug use has become a handicap in achieving their career objectives. Perhaps they’ve dropped the ball on an important project, or bungled a meeting with a big client because they were “drugged up.” It may be the simple realization that they’re slowly burning out, trying to maintain a super-human workload at a pace that’s fueled by drugs.
These fortunate individuals have already fought half the battle: they admit they can’t go on doing what they’ve been doing, and they’re ready to look for help.
For the less fortunate, who are unable or unwilling to admit that their drug use has left a wake of chaos behind them, affecting their work, their friendships and their families, professional intervention is an effective option. This requires the participation of the addict’s family, friends, and coworkers—those close to the addict who understand how desperately he or she needs help. These people will make up the support team for the intervention.
In the disease of addiction, denial is as much a symptom as a rash would
be to poison ivy. To hide their addiction, addicts build psychological walls
that serve as a fortress of protection (at least in the mind of the addict).
Breaking through that denial is a difficult task, requiring planning, patience,
coordination and skill.
A professional interventionist can find the smallest crack in that wall
and slowly begin to dismantle it. Once inside the “fortress,”
the interventionist can help the addict overcome years of denial and realize
what their drug use has done to them, their families and friends.
In a moment of clarity, the addict can understand that those involved in the intervention (the support team) are committed to helping them recover. Together, the interventionist and the support team gently shepherd the addict into treatment.:
The good news is, treatment can be effective even when the addict doesn’t feel they “want” it. Studies have consistently shown that those who enter drug treatment at the urging of friends and family enjoy a higher level of support, and can actually do comparatively better in treatment. Almost always, people who get treatment get better.