The Sad Truth About Intervention

Since its debut in 2005, Intervention has cast a spotlight on drug and alcohol addiction. The Emmy-winning show has helped many people, but it's not without its share of controversy. This is the disturbing untold truth of Intervention. The type of intervention used by the professionals on Intervention is called the Johnson Model. Created in the 1970s by an Episcopal priest, Dr. Vernon Johnson, the model employs family members to write personal letters to their suffering loved ones. As seen in the show, these letters highlight the consequences of the individual's addiction and present ultimatums for the user. Though this style of intervention is well-known, largely because of the show, some experts consider it outdated. Critics suggest the Johnson Model results in a high number of addicted individuals agreeing to enter treatment, but the number of early exits and relapses are also high. According to Psychology Today, the confrontational, aggressive, and combative tactics employed by the Johnson Model may coerce individuals to enter treatment without the necessary, quote, "internalized motivation to quit." Alternatively, more modern approaches are available to the families and support workers trying to help people suffering from addiction. Motivational Interviewing, for example, is a strategy used to help the individual find the internal motivation necessary to enter, complete, and commit to the long-term recovery process. #Intervention Keep watching this video to learn more sad truth about intervention. Outdated methods | 0:00 Problems with facilities | 1:31 Ready (ready or not) for rehab | 2:50 Dangerous relapse | 4:08 Shock value over professionalism | 5:16 Addiction tourism | 6:03 Curious recovery numbers | 7:19 Wasted whiteness | 8:55 Misleading opening | 10:21