If you’re involved in a 12-step program, you likely already know the importance of milestones. In these programs, it’s customary to receive plastic chips as you progress to the one-year mark, at which time you receive a bronze coin. It is estimated that up to 80% of those who find long-term sobriety had at least one relapse along the way. Some people experience many setbacks before they find lasting recovery. Your intentions may be good, but it takes more than willpower to avoid having a relapse. Sobriety means not being under the influence of a substance.
It starts with a beer, a glass of wine or a cocktail. You watch as your family member or friend slowly changes with each tip of the bottle. If the person does have an alcohol problem, the best thing you can do is be open and honest drug addiction substance use disorder diagnosis and treatment with them about it. Hoping the person will get better on their own won’t change the situation. Let the person you care for know that you’re available and that you care. Try to formulate statements that are positive and supportive.
You can offer support to someone with AUD who is in denial and take steps to ensure you’re not enabling their drinking, but you can’t make them get help. As much as you love the person with the drinking problem and as upsetting as it can be to watch them struggle with their addiction, there’s only so much you can do. You can’t monitor their behavior around the clock, make all their decisions for them, or allow their problems to take over your life. You are not your loved one’s therapist or AA mentor, so don’t try to take on those responsibilities. To avoid burnout, set clear limits on what you’re able to do.
A person with AUD is not to blame for the disorder, however. Pay attention to your loved one when he or she is doing better or simply making an effort. Too often we are so angry or discouraged that we take it for granted when things are going better. A word of appreciation or acknowledgement of a success can go a long way.
Recovery is an ongoing process, requiring time and patience. Someone who abuses alcohol will not magically become a different person once they’re sober. They’ll have to find new ways of living without alcohol and they’ll also have to tackle the problems that led to their alcohol abuse in the first place. But with your ongoing support and love, they can get there. It’s not easy to talk to someone about their drinking.
Support can come from family members, friends, counselors, other recovering alcoholics, your healthcare providers, and people from your faith community. Whether you choose to tackle your alcohol addiction by going to rehab, getting therapy, or taking a self-directed treatment approach, support is essential. Recovering from alcohol addiction or abuse is much easier when you have people you can lean on for encouragement, comfort, and guidance. A therapist can help you learn new coping skills, develop new thinking patterns, and address any co-occurring mental health conditions that may make recovery more difficult. Suggest social activities that don’t involve drinking. While you can’t shelter your loved one from situations where alcohol is present, you can avoid drinking with or around the person.
Offer to help out with work, childcare, and household tasks if they get in the way of treatment sessions. Tell your loved one that you’re worried they’re drinking too much, and let them know you want to be supportive. The person may be in denial, and they may even react angrily to your attempts. Give them time and space to make an honest decision, and listen to what they have to say. Be prepared to involve a professionalThe best you can do is try.
NIA scientists and other experts review this content to ensure it is accurate and up to date. Get cost-effective, quality addiction care that truly works. If during the conversation, the person becomes violent or they make threats to harm themselves or others, the person with them is best calling 911.
You’re doing the right thing by choosing to care, even if no one else, including the alcoholic, does. Other tests can indicate whether there is damage to the liver, or — in males — reduced how long do alcohol cravings last in recovery testosterone levels. Both of these might indicate chronic alcohol consumption. Carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (CDT) is a blood test that helps detect heavy alcohol consumption.
The main goal of an intervention is to help the person start treatment. It is important that the conversation happens when the person a friend or relative wants to help is sober. They are best to pick a place that is private, safe, and comfortable for both parties. The American Addiction Centre (ACC) are available 24/7 to provide confidential advice regarding treatment options. It can be challenging to provide the appropriate help and support without the right knowledge.
Consider staging a family meeting or an intervention, but don’t put yourself in a dangerous situation. Offer your support along each step of the recovery journey. Express your concerns in a caring way and encourage your friend or family member to get help. Try to remain neutral and don’t argue, lecture, accuse, or threaten. The symptoms listed above may be a sign of a severe form of alcohol withdrawal called delirium tremens, or DTs. This rare, emergency condition causes dangerous changes in the way your brain regulates your circulation and breathing, so it’s important to get to the hospital right away.
Growing up in a home where alcohol use is common, can leave lasting scars. You do not have to put up with unacceptable behavior in your life. You may still want to help your loved one when they are in the middle of a crisis. However, a crisis is usually the time when you should do nothing.
