According to Dictionary.com an intervention is defined as being the , " Interposition or interference of one state in the affairs of another". The primary purpose for interventions is to help the addict or the person suffering seek professional assistance in order to get better. Interventions treat all addicts not just drug addicts. Some other types of addicts that are treated by interventions are shopping addicts, alcoholics, gamblers, anorexics, and bulimics. While they are positive aspects of interventions, there are many reasons why interventions could have a negative affect on the people involved.
Reason 1: Interventions can make the patient feel isolated and betrayed.
Interventions can arise many feeling in the addict such as isolation and betrayel. When the addict hear about the many problems that they have and that they cause is can become overwhelming because not everyone can take constructive criticism. The addict can feel like everyone in the intervention room is there to destroy them or tear them down and that leads to the feeling of betrayal. Some of the things that are mentioned about the addict can cause the addict to feel lonely and like they are the only one in the world with this problem. This can lead to the addict not initially wanting to recieve help.
Reason 2:Interventions can bring up hidden emotions.
Interventions can also bring up emotions that the family members and friends were hiding from the addict. Emotions that the addict didn't know what was present. These hidden emotions could take a toll on both the addict and the loved ones. These hidden emotions could also invoke certain actions in the addict. Some addicts can be calm during interventions, but most react very drastically and violently. This is a very negative aspect of interventions.
Reason 3: Interventions can have a financial burden on the people involved especially the family of the addict.
The cost of the addicts addiction can be expensive by itself. Along with the cost of the intervention, the intervention specialist, rehabilitation costs, and money for the trip, interventions can require a large sum of money that most likely the addict doesn't have to come up with. In most cases of interventions, the family of the addict has the burden of trying to come up with the money to pay for these things. Not all of the families that decide to participate in an intervention is wealthy or well off. So money can be a major issue.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Negative side of Interventions
Posted by April at 10:38 PM
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3 comments:
I like this argument. There are definitely some things you can do to improve it though. First, work with your length. I think if you made your brief more informative it would have been stronger. Secondly, make sure you immediately define what your arguing (not everyone knows what interventions are) and define the side you are arguing. You thesis is good, but you could add to it and make it even stronger. You said that interventions have both negative and positive aspects, but you didn’t define any positive aspects. A stronger opening sentence would be, “Interventions are meant to push a person to get the help they need, but do they really help the individual in the end? …” Also define your reasons more. Explain why it would be a financial burden and why it hurts loved ones. Find some statistics and stories to back you up. Lastly, improve your pathos. Put use to emotional appeal and write like you truly believe what you are saying.
I think that this is a great argument and you have some pretty impressive points. The only problem for me is your reason 2, that could also hurt your argument because the hidden emotions that come out through interventions can help the family deal with the issues after they find out how each other feels.
Your definition of intervention is absolutely correct. It is the interposition or interference of one state in the affairs of others.If someone is in need of help why should there loved ones sit back and just watch them perish. Where is the love in that. I disagree with your reason 1 stating that interventions can make the patient feel isolated or betrayed; not stepping in and offering a hand is actually leaving the patient isolated and betrayed. Stepping in and telling the addict about their problem is quite POSITIVE. Hearing people you care about tell you how much you are hurting them can bring that person to light and make them want to do better. You may think that the addict is thinking everyone is against them in the intervention room, but when it all falls down at the end of the day you as a person should want to step in and help the patient before they hurt or even KILL themselves.
I disagree with your reason 2 that states that intervention brings up hidden emotions. Bringing up these emotions are not at all negative but beneficial to both the patient and their loved ones. Yes, it is true, some patients may have a violent response, but the overall outcome of the intervention can lessen the burdens of the people there to help once they get everything off of their chest.
I also disagree with your reason 3 stating that it can cause a financial burden. Which would you prefer; supporting a costly habit of an addict for a lifetime or spending that money on seeking some help for the patient. I'd go with the second choice. Let's try investing the funds to a positive cause. After you look at the overall personal experiences of the intervention process the good always outweigh the bad.
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