Before...

...and after

.
.
( Does it look like she needs to wax her mustache?)

[This message was edited by Mike Shefrin on 12 October 2006 at 08:06 PM.]

[This message was edited by Mike Shefrin on 15 October 2006 at 09:31 PM.]

[This message was edited by Mike Shefrin on 13 October 2006 at 12:15 AM.]

Intervention

Intervention is a process utilized when all other options have been exhausted in an attempt to help an individual overcome a serious problem such as cartoon abuse/addiction.

A cartoon abuser usually does not know they are out of control. They look at their peers and their own cartooning appears normal in comparison. Cartoon abusers experience a lack of sleep, poor decisions, and expensive mistakes. Far too often, cartoonists cannot make the right choice on their own to take action which will help them regain control of their lives. They need objective feedback on their behavior. Through a non-judgmental, non-critical, systematic process, intervention specialists help the cartoon abuser confront the impact of their cartooning on themselves and others.

It is understandable that the decision to plan a cartoon intervention for a friend or loved one can be painful. Many times there is an underlying deep fear. This may be a fear of confrontation, fear of rejection, and/or a fear that it won't work. Leaving loved ones with only more intensified feelings of hopelessness, anger, and frustration, while the cartoonist continues their self-destructive actions. Intervention specialists can carefully plan an effective intervention. This can be the key component that helps the individual go from the downward spiral of cartoon addiction and on to the road of recovery. Keep in mind no matter what happens on intervention day, it will most certainly get the person's attention. If the person refuses to do what is requested, he/she nearly always changes for the better in some way, usually by accepting some form of help later: either later that same day, the next day, the next week, or the next month or two.

A "Cartoon Intervention specialist" can help you in developing a plan of action suited to your individual circumstances. They can help your friend, coworker or loved one get their lives back in order and overcome cartoon addiction. An effective Intervention will see that the addict receives the necessary treatment he/she needs and beyond.

It was once thought that cartoon abusers had to "hit bottom" before help could be offered and accepted. If you wait until the abusers hit "rock bottom" before you intervene, then you may be forced to watch them destroy their lives and deeply affect the lives of their families as well as others around them. It was also thought that an abuser could only get better if they were self-motivated to change. That is not always the case. Intervention can assist in the process of motivating the person to accept treatment for their cartoon addiction.

The optimum time for an intervention is just after a major event, although it is important that the cartoonist is not sketching at the time of the intervention. An example of such an event is if the person runs out of humorous ideas, or when his/her computer and/or Internet connection fails. An intervention will be more effective after such events when the cartoonist is down and feels like his/her life is in need of change.

[This message was edited by Mike Shefrin on 10 October 2006 at 11:24 PM.]

The bartender, with shaking hands, pours the shot, grabs the hundred, and while eyeing the gorilla puts the bill in the cash register, forgetting about the change.

The gorilla downs the shot, gets up to leave, but is stopped as the bartender says, "you know __ we don't have a lot of gorillas coming into this bar."

The gorilla says, "I can see why __ I don't know any that can afford $100 a shot."