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When a family member is struggling with a drug addiction, it can be heart-breaking for other family members as they watch their loved one descend into a downward spiral of destruction. While it may be tempting to consider a family intervention, for some addicts, this will simply not work.
Family members will react in different ways when one member develops a drug addiction. Some will be confused and upset and will not know what to do for the best. Others will want to do everything in their power to try to fix their loved one. They may resort to begging and pleading with the addicted person, but this can all be pointless if the individual with the addiction does not want to get better.
Many addicts cannot comprehend the seriousness of their situation and believe that their family members and friends are exaggerating the problem. Some are not ready to give up the substance to which they are addicted and will, therefore, deny the problem exists; they see this as the easiest way for them to continue with their addictive behaviour.
Downward Spiral
Coronation Street legend Johnny Briggs, who played Mike Baldwin on the soap for four decades, has had to watch not only his daughter Karen but also her daughter Emma struggle with heroin addiction for years. His daughter and granddaughter have recently been jailed for a string of offences carried out in a bid to fund their crippling addictions to heroin.
Photos of the pair have emerged showing how years of drug abuse has ravaged their bodies, with both looking haggard and drawn. Karen Briggs was sentenced to nine months in prison for stealing bicycles with daughter Emma Beach in June and July 2016. Emma was sentenced to fifteen months behind bars.
A British Transport Police spokesperson said, “Briggs was charged with four breaches of a criminal behaviour order and one count of a pedal cycle theft at Cobham rail station on June 21. She was sentenced to nine months imprisonment.
He added, “Beach was charged with four counts of breaching a criminal behaviour order, thefts of a pedal cycle at Cobham rail station on June 21 and July 18. She also stole a bike from Oxshott rail station on July 18. She was sentenced to 15-month imprisonment.”
Tragic Tale
Johnny Briggs has not made any comment about the situation involving his daughter and granddaughter, but he has disowned them in the past due to their continued abuse of illegal drugs. The pair have been struggling with drug addiction for years and had previously been in trouble with the law for carrying out a string of crimes to fund their habits.
Sadly, for Miss Beach, her drug addiction began at the age of just fourteen when her mother allegedly gave her Class A drugs. She has blamed her criminal activities on her devastating addiction, but just last year she said she had been clean for months and swore she would never resort to stealing again. Unfortunately, it would appear as though she suffered a relapse and is now serving time behind bars with her mother for theft, once again committed to funding an addiction she cannot seem to escape.
Can a Family Intervention Help?
When it comes to helping a loved one with an addiction, there are many things that you can do, and a family intervention may seem like the obvious choice. Family interventions are often very successful at getting an addicted family member to realise the effect that his or her addiction is having on the entire family.
It involves a group of family members and friends that the addicted person respects coming together to try to encourage the individual to recognise the problem exists and to get help. It is not intended to be a chance to berate the addict or make him or her feel guilty. It is a supportive process and one that will hopefully have a positive outcome.
Staging an Intervention
There are a number of things that family members must consider when staging an intervention. The most important one is to carefully choose who will participate. If you want the family intervention to be a success, you must not ask people who have a fractious relationship with the addict to be a part of it. Anyone who antagonises the affected person could result in the whole process failing. Make sure only to invite people that the addicted individual loves and respects.
Make sure that the addicted person has no excuse to leave the meeting early. That means arranging it at a time when the addict does not have to leave for work or to collect the children from school. If your addicted loved one has children, arrange for someone to take care of them for the duration of the intervention.
After the Intervention
Before the family intervention takes place, you will need to make sure you have researched treatment options for the person and, if possible, think about reserving a place in a residential or outpatient facility.
If you do manage to get your loved one to accept the addiction and commit to a programme of detoxification and rehabilitation, having immediate access to treatment is crucial. If you wait until after the intervention to begin your search for treatment, you could be giving the addict time to change his or her mind.
If you are considering staging a family intervention and would like advice on the process, or if you want information about treatment facilities in your area, contact us here at UK Rehab today.
Source: Fresh faces of Coronation Street Mike Baldwin actor Johnny Briggs’ daughter and granddaughter before heroin addiction ravaged them (Mirror.co.uk)
