Pubdate: Sun, 29 May 2011
Source: Victoria Times-Colonist (CN BC)
Copyright: 2011 Times Colonist
Contact: http://www2.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/letters.html
Website: http://www.timescolonist.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/481
Author: Bill Cleverley
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/rehab.htm (Treatment)

FAMILIES, FRIENDS VITAL IN HELPING ADDICTS HEAL

Families can have a tremendous influence in helping someone deal with 
drug or alcohol problems, says Victoria addictions counsellor Sue Donaldson.

"The [addicted person] can't see what's going on with them. It's part 
of the nature of alcoholism and addiction is you can't see clearly 
what's going on. So you need the clear sight of a family to affect 
change," she said.

An addictions counsellor and certified interventionist, Donaldson, 
who owns Pegasus Recovery Solutions, has been involved in addictions 
counselling since 1995. She facilitates about two interventions a month.

"Often intervention is the last resort. They've usually exhausted 
talking, pleading and cajoling and begging. Most people have 
exhausted their resources by the time they seek the help of a 
professional," Donaldson said.

"An intervention, to a large degree, is helping the family understand 
what leverage they can bring -how they can help motivate their loved 
one and not just sort of stand and turn a blind eye."

Typically, an intervention begins with a call from a family member. 
"Generally it's either parents or a partner or adult children who are 
concerned about a loved one. It could be alcohol or drugs, often they 
don't really know what's going on. They just know that all is not 
well," said Donaldson.

Neal Berger, executive director of the Cedars recovery centre, says 
family interventions represent the single best thing he's seen in 30 
years in the field. "Our evidence shows that people who are forced 
into treatment tend to do the best."

Donaldson's first task is to ensure the problem is really substance 
abuse, and not a family member with an ax to grind.

Much of her work is in preparation. Donaldson has to spend a lot of 
time -a day or more -with family, friends and concerned individuals 
to sort out what needs to happen, and how to engage the addicted individual.

Treatment options will be teed up. Donaldson will help those involved 
eliminate potential barriers -from jobs to money to looking after the 
cat -that the addict might raise as a reason why he or she can't 
enter treatment.

Family members learn that it's not just the addict who will have to 
make changes.

"If there haven't been some fundamental changes made with the family 
and the other family members, you haven't created a context for them 
to stay clean and sober and on track in recovery."

The cost of interventions can range from about $3,000 to $7,800, 
including six months of post-treatment monitoring and aftercare.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom