Author: Alex Thompson

How to Deal With an Alcoholic: Dos, Dont’s, Coping

You can also try one of HelpGuide’s guided audio meditations to help you stay calm and focused as you make this challenging journey. Your friend or loved one may also vow to cut back on their own. Urge the person to get into a formal treatment program.

1. It also provides coping skills to prevent relapse and promote a healthy relationship.
2. Let the person you care for know that you’re available and that you care.
3. You can help by offering unconditional support, including abstaining from drinking yourself.
4. High-functioning alcoholics, in particular, are experts in making false promises and manipulating those trying to help.
5. This doesn’t mean you can’t forgive an alcoholic for something they did while drinking, but there has to be either an acknowledgment of the bad behavior or repercussions.
6. Whichever you decide, you can still seek support and therapy after you walk away.

The amount that alcoholics drink can seriously impact the brain. One effect is that alcohol consumption shrinks the hippocampus, which is the part of the brain that’s responsible for memory and reasoning. Learning how to deal with an alcoholic is challenging, and if the alcoholic is a partner, family member, or close friend, dealing with it becomes even more difficult. Do not fall for false promisesOn the spur of the moment, the addict may promise to turn over a new leaf and start afresh. In fact, what he or she is trying to do, is wiggle out of the conversation by falsely swearing to change.

You don’t have to stop caring, but you do have to let others experience the consequences of their actions. This doesn’t mean that rock bottom is the only solution, or that you should try to accelerate the journey there. But it does mean you should focus on detachment practices to help you deal with an alcoholic. Research shows that hitting rock bottom, or resource loss is a significant indicator of therapy completion in alcoholics.

Don’t Blame Yourself

One inconsiderate comment and the person can retreat back to their world of darkness. Be careful not to close the channel of communication forever and think before you speak. Do not stand behind their actionsHow to support an alcoholic and his or her behavior? As harsh as this sounds, you should never take responsibility for the actions of an alcoholic.

It’s important that your teen feels you are supportive. Alcohol use disorder can negatively affect your life. Children with good relationships with their parents are more likely to delay drinking. They also tend to have better self-esteem and are less likely to give in to peer pressure.

High-functioning alcoholics, in particular, are experts in making false promises and manipulating those trying to help. Make sure you follow up on their promises as soon as possible after the meeting and be prepared for the subsequent confrontation in case they’ve not stuck to their claims. When someone gets too drunk or hungover to fulfill their basic responsibilities in life, they often rely on those around them to get the job done.

Others continue to drink excessively despite the negative consequences. Unfortunately, AUD also affects the people around them. Choose the right time to have this important conversation.

Speak From a Place of Support and Positivity

Celebrate if a friend or loved one with an addiction takes a step toward rehabilitation … but don’t be surprised by a stumble. Relapse rates are common among those who seek treatment for an addiction. Residential treatment or “rehab” facilities provide intensive treatment for alcohol abuse or addiction. Your loved one resides at a special facility for 30 to 90 days and receives treatments such as detox, therapy, and medication. While it’s important to be open and honest about your concerns, you need to remember that you cannot force someone to stop abusing alcohol. As much as you may want to, and as hard as it is to watch, you cannot make someone stop drinking.

Talking to a friend about their alcohol problem can be challenging since your relationship is different from their family. If they start to open up, listen and do not interrupt them. You do not have to agree with their behavior or try to fix their problems. Just acknowledge their situation and how it makes them feel.

Try not to allow your loved one’s behavior to dictate your own health and happiness. Schedule time into your day for relaxing, maintaining your own health, and doing the things you enjoy. Your loved one’s recovery can be a long process, so you need to maintain a balance in your life. Dealing with a loved one’s alcohol problem can feel like an emotional rollercoaster and take a heavy toll on your health, outlook, and wellbeing. It’s vital that you stay safe, take care of your own health, and get the support you need. Suggest social activities that don’t involve drinking.

Talk to Your Child About Alcohol

It’s better to set realistic and achievable goals to help them stop drinking. Every person deals with alcoholism in their own way. What matters is that you have a healthy approach that benefits you and your loved one. Finding the right way to approach someone you think may have an alcohol use disorder can be tough. Before you speak with them, try putting yourself in their shoes. The most important thing is to let them know that you care and that you’ll be there when they need your support.

Tips for living with someone who has an alcohol addiction

Consider professional help or support for you and your family. A support group to build connections with others who are going through similar experiences can be beneficial. “It’s not your duty to hide the results of their drinking so they avoid feeling any sort of embarrassment,” says Dr. Anand. Did a night of excessive drinking leave cans or bottles littering your living room floor?

Calmly redirect the subject so you can de-escalate the situation. You can provide support and access to resources that can help them recover. Consider researching different treatment methods and treatment providers in your area.

Do Stay Focused on the Present

They may have problems controlling their drinking habits or choose to keep drinking even though it causes problems. These problems may interfere with their professional and social relationships or even their own health. Point out how little time you’re spending together recently. Often alcoholics will be more inclined to make a change if they realize the effect on those who care about them.

That means you’ll need plenty of patience when supporting your loved one’s recovery. In these difficult times of the global pandemic, economic uncertainty, and high unemployment, many people are drinking more than they used to in an attempt to relieve stress. While it’s easy to understand, that doesn’t make it less of a concern.