22 Jan Successful Interventions Set Healthy Boundaries
An intervention and the following period of treatment is a difficult time. Friends and family who are supporting their loved one need to set clear boundaries to ensure they maintain their emotional wellbeing throughout the duration of treatment.
Healthy boundaries are essential to healthy relationships at home and at work. When we have poor boundaries, it can lead to resentment, anger, and burnout, which doesn’t help anyone. During an intervention, setting boundaries is even more important. People who are addicted to substance abuse can be hurtful, selfish, manipulative, and aggressive. When faced with this behaviour, it can be difficult to remember that it is the addiction causing this behaviour.
Setting boundaries is a skill, but, unfortunately, it’s a skill that many of us don’t have. We may not even recognize what healthy boundaries look like, and when it comes to dealing with an addict, we may not know how to set boundaries in a healthy and productive way.
How to Set Healthy Boundaries
Having healthy boundaries means knowing and understanding what your limits are, and during a drug intervention, those boundaries need to be identified and firmly set. This may involve a process of discovery to learn which boundaries are needed. An interventionist or counselor can help you identify and establish those boundaries in a way that ensures the boundaries are delivered with respect and received with respect. A few tips for setting boundaries include:
Identify your limits: When it comes to commitments, work, time or rules, identify what you will or won’t accept.
Be Direct: We all come from different backgrounds and may see things differently; clear communication is the key to understanding. Communicate how and why these boundaries are important to you.
Be Assertive: Establishing boundaries is great, but it only works if those boundaries are maintained. Stay strong and stand firm on your boundaries.
Seek Support: You don’t need to do this alone, friends and family need support to set and maintain those boundaries throughout the recovery treatment.
Setting boundaries will help you maintain a sense of balance when you are facing situations that are emotional and volatile. For instance, when dealing with substance abuse, you may want to start with boundaries that you can carry through on such as:
- Drugs and alcohol are not allowed in the house.
- I will not give you money, not even for food or rent.
- I will not lie for you.
During an intervention, setting clear boundaries forces your loved one to take responsibility for their actions. They must take this step if they want to continue on the road to recovery.
Setting boundaries during a drug intervention takes courage and practice, and you need support throughout this difficult time. A professional interventionist can help your family throughout the entire drug recovery process. An interventionist can help a family identify unhealthy patterns and learn how to communicate effectively.
Do you need support establishing boundaries with a loved one who is an addict? Don’t wait to seek help, we can help you establish boundaries, and set your loved one on the road to recovery through intervention