
Safe & Expert Addiction Treatment & Detox
“The key to a successful intervention is to make it seem like rehab is the most obvious and easiest option to beat addiction.”
It’s important to remember that in order for addiction treatment to be successful, it must be something they are fully committed to with strong motivations in mind. If a loved one has a strong support system and access to good treatment, there is a good chance they will overcome their addiction.
To increase the chances of a successful intervention to be successful, it is important to make sure the timing is perfect. Interventions work best when your loved one is not intoxicated or stressed out, as certain drugs can cause users to become aggressive while others can make them drowsy and spaced out. It needs to be a time when they have your full attention and will not be distracted or too under the weather to listen. It is also important not to yell or shame your addicted loved one for the harmful choices they have made.
During an intervention, friends and family will have the opportunity to speak in detail about how their loved one’s addiction has impacted them. Once they have had a chance to listen and respond, the next step is to motivate them to seek treatment.
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Intervention Methods
Often, an intervention serves as the first step to recovering from their alcoholism just by becoming aware of the issue. A professional interventionist might use various models of intervention to motivate a loved one into treatment. There are four major models in use today: the Johnson Model, the Arise Model, the RAAD Model and the Family Model.
The Johnson Model of Intervention
This model is focused on the belief that someone suffering from addiction requires support when it comes to seeking treatment and aims to also motivate them to complete their treatment plan.
This method of intervention was developed by Dr. Vernon Johnson in the 1970s. He saw the value that family and friends could bring to interventions. This model changed the way people approached individuals suffering from addiction and encouraged a more caring and encouraging approach to interventions.
The Family-Centric Approach
The original intervention protocol, the Johnson Model, does carry an element of surprise – as family members confront the person directly about the damage their drinking or drug use has caused. Members of the addict’s social network state in clear terms the consequences that will happen if treatment is refused.
Many interventionists, including Scherer, prefer a more non-confrontational approach that puts the entire family in recovery.

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Crisis Intervention
A crisis intervention is an immediate and short-term emergency response to a person struggling mentally, emotionally or experiencing some kind of behavioural distress as a result of substance abuse or serious mental illness. Crisis interventions are designed to help minimise any further trauma or distress.
These interventions are often carried out by intervention specialists or an intervention team in a clinic, addiction treatment centre or a person’s home. While crisis counselling is an effective short-term solution, it is not designed to provide in-depth psychological treatment.
Arise Intervention
Addiction is a disease that affects entire families and anyone else close to the person. With this in mind, ARISE interventions are designed to help family members as well as those struggling with addiction. It gives the family a chance to play an active role in the recovery process and share their feelings about their loved one’s addiction, as well as the opportunity to help heal the family dynamic.
The intervention aims to make the person understand how their drug abuse or alcoholism is affecting their life and the lives of those around them. The next step is to help them recognise that addiction treatment is the most effective way to addiction recovery.
Quick Assessment & Admissions

- How to Access Rehab With Health Insurance
For those experiencing existing mental health conditions in Ireland, there are private medical insurers who can help you cover treatment. As addiction experts, we know that receiving the appropriate care and support when you have a mental health disorder is pivotal to attaining long-lasting recovery. Below, we will go through the various health insurance options to help you understand your options when it comes to seeking private residential care for substance abuse. Please note that there is no guarantee that you can be covered for all addiction problems as policies are always assessed on a case-by-case basis. Find Out More
- My Loved One Doesn’t Want Help, What Do I Do?
You can’t force someone to go to rehab. At the end of the day, it needs to be their decision because they are the ones that need to be open to turning their lives around. There are ways in which you can encourage someone to enter treatment, one of these ways is via an intervention with a trained interventionist, who facilitates an honest discussion between family members and the addict. This is something Smarmore Castle can arrange – contact us today.
- Which Drugs Does Smarmore Castle Detox From?
We can detox people from any drugs whether they are illegal drugs such as cocaine, heroin, ketamine; or prescription drugs such as benzodiazepines or zopiclone, oxycodone, zolpidem, klonopin, methadone, cannabis; and legal drugs such as alcohol.
- How Long Is the Treatment Programme?
Our treatment programme starts at 4 weeks and is flexible in length, giving you the opportunity to extend for a longer period if you need it.
- Do You Treat Dual Diagnosis?
All patients are reviewed by a consultant psychiatrist in the first week and we can diagnose and provide treatment for a number of co-occurring mental health conditions.
- Do I Need to Be Abstinent Before Admission?
Our medically managed detoxification with 24/7 medical cover means that we can perform complete and complex detoxes at Smarmore Castle. You don’t need to be abstinent before arrival.
- How Do I Get To Rehab Safely?
Smarmore Castle is one hour north of Dublin international airport and we can arrange a driver to collect you and bring you straight to us for free.
We can also arrange a ‘sober transport’ service with a trusted driver, from anywhere in Ireland or Northern Ireland, at an additional cost.