Lamar Odom is now breathing on his own and is slowly making progress in his recovery.

Odom was hospitalized after he was found unconscious at a brothel not far from Las Vegas, Nevada. Traces of cocaine, herbal sexual performance enhancers and alcohol were all found in his system.

Late last week, he woke up and spoke to his estranged wife, celebrity Khloe Kardashian. Early this week he was transported from Las Vegas back to Los Angeles to continue his recovery.

Dozens of questions and rumors are circulating about Odom. Does he have an addiction problem? Will he ever fully recover from this tragic incident? Could an intervention have prevented Odom from coming to this “rock bottom” moment?

Did Lamar Odom Hit “Rock Bottom”?

“Rock bottom” is a relative term that is often used in the realm of addiction treatment to describe the breaking point for the addict where they are out of excuses and out of options. There is no where else to turn but to seek help to treat their addiction.

Different people experience “rock bottom” in different ways. It could be the loss of a job, a difficult breakup, or financial problems. Odom had a near-death experience last week that may be his “rock bottom” moment.

How an Intervention Prevents “Rock Bottom”

If Odom’s loved ones had staged an intervention before his decision to spend a few days at the Love Ranch, he could have sought and received the help he needed for treatment without coming close to death. Granted, Odom’s parents are both deceased: his father was a drug addict, and his mother died of cancer. But he has a variety of friends and teammates (past and present) who could have helped him face his problem and get the help he needed to heal.

You don’t have to be a family member to stage an intervention. You just need to be close enough to your addicted loved one to see that they need help. Reaching out to a professional interventionist can mean the difference between life and death for your loved one, and can prevent them from reaching that “rock bottom” moment.

If your loved one is struggling with addiction or a mental health disorder, don’t wait to reach out and ask for help. They may not seem like it now, but someday they will thank you.


Photo credit: Bridget Samuels (College Park, MD), via Wikimedia Commons