The Myths and Realities of “Hitting Bottom”

12 Step Philosophy: you can't help an individual until they want and ask for help, which relies solely on the natural process of intervention.

If the person doesn't accept or ask for help it is because they don't want help

Let nature take its course!

Intervention is an attempt to control.

Bottoms can be raised: that is what an effective process of calculated intervention does!

Denial; self-blame; underlying hopelessness (that often the individual is not conscious of) impedes, or at the very least prolongs the individuals ability to see the need for help. Once aware of the need for help the individual then battles the demon of denial/hold of addiction and/or mental health issue ( inner conflict, alone) for years before accessing help.

Intervention is a process, not an event where concerned others meet with a friend/family member to discuss concerns about their well being and invite the individual to explore and consider options . There are many forms of intervention!

Organized: heart-to-heart, employer, school counselors, clergymen, probation officers, Professional, family guided without professional help, medical staff i.e. doctor, emergency room staff, etc,
Natural: legal, physical, financial, interpersonal, emotional, spiritual, psychiatrict problems, and complications, spontaneous insight

Professional Philosopy: Generally, an individual must be invited to accept help, because if left to his own devices, he will often self-destruct prior to accessing/receiving the help that is so obviously needed. This is as a direct result of the hold that the addiction or mental health issue has on the individual.

Addiction and mental health issues hold the afflicted hostage, robbing them of the ability to see their need for help and the capacity to access it during those fleeting moments of recognition.

Addiction and untreated mental health issues are confronted/intervened on an average of 3-7 times before an individual engages and commits to a process of recovery...that is why waiting for an individual to hit bottom naturally can take years and often a life.