Experts offer some suggestions on how to approach someone with your concerns and persuade them to get the help they need. 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. This means it may take several conversations before they accept that they have a problem and need treatment. It is important to approach this conversation calmly. If the conversation Hope House Boston Review becomes heated, it is best to end it and try again on another occasion. A person with AUD is not to blame for the disorder, however.
Medical Professionals
When relapse happens, it’s important not to blame your loved one or get frustrated and angry with them. Instead, help them find the best treatment option for them so they can get back on track to long-term recovery. You may encourage them to call their sponsor, research other treatment options with them such as long-term treatment, or utilize another professional resource. A solid support system is crucial to long-term recovery. Your loved one’s motivation for recovery hinges on the encouragement and support they get from others around them.
Personality
Maybe they’ve been drinking more than usual, or perhaps it’s been an ongoing issue for a while now. It’s a situation where you want to be supportive but don’t want to overstep and risk making things worse. So, when supporting your loved one, it can be beneficial to lead with love, compassion, and understanding. If they’re not receptive, keep trying — and set boundaries to protect your own well-being. “Always approach a loved one from a place of support and desire to help them, instead of leading with judgment or anger,” says Omar Elhaj, MD, a senior medical director at LifeStance Health.
Treatment for Alcohol Problems: Finding and Getting Help
Avoid discussing the issue when the person is under the influence of alcohol. You can just sit and listen and learn more about recovery, or you can share about your situation. Anyone with a desire to stop drinking is welcome, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, income, or profession.
They’re more likely to binge drink and more vulnerable to developing an alcohol use disorder than adults. This may be because the pleasure center of a teen’s brain matures before their capacity to make sound decisions. The best treatment option for your loved one depends largely on the depth of their drinking problem, the stability of their living situation, and any other health issues they may be facing. 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. Now that you’ve learned more about AUDs, you may be able to better understand what your coworker, friend, family member, or other loved one is experiencing.
- You can’t force them to get help, but you can offer to help them find professional resources, including a doctor who can make recommendations about therapy and medications.
- In some cases, a person might believe someone they care about does not have AUD but still has a drinking problem.
- This guide is written for individuals—and their family and friends—who are looking for options to address alcohol problems.
- Someone with alcoholism has both a physical and psychological dependence on alcohol.
- Let the person you care for know that you’re available and that you care.
- Studies show that strong family support through family therapy increases the chances of maintaining abstinence (not drinking) compared with people going to individual counseling.
- Try seeking help from a sports coach, family doctor, therapist, or counselor.
- It also includes binge drinking — a pattern of drinking where a male has five or more drinks within two hours or a female has at least four drinks within two hours.
For example, if your loved one passes out in the yard and you carefully help them into the house and into bed, only you feel the pain. The focus then becomes what you did (moved them) rather than what they did (drinking so much that they passed out outside). You may tell yourself that surely there is something you can do. But the reality is that not even the person dependent on alcohol can control their drinking, try as they may. Too much alcohol affects your speech, muscle coordination and vital centers of your brain.
- If someone has AUD, they must not blame themselves for the condition.
- Scientists are working to develop a larger menu of pharmaceutical treatments that could be tailored to individual needs.
- “For example, you may notice your spouse drinking more beers at dinner, sleeping less and less, and increasingly on edge well before they start missing workdays,” Grawert adds.
If your loved one is truly dependent on alcohol, they are going to drink no matter what you do or say. 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. It’s much easier to avoid drinking if you don’t keep temptations around. You may also want to see if other family members and friends want to be involved. This can depend on several factors, such as how serious the situation is or how private the person may be.
No matter the reaction, you should stay calm and assure your person that they have your respect and support. Anyone with a desire to stop drinking is welcome, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, income or profession. Some problem drinkers don’t see their alcohol use as, well, a problem; others are aware they have a precarious relationship with booze. Either way, confronting someone about a drinking problem can be tricky at best.
Keep paying attention to your loved one when they are 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 acknowledgment of a success can go a long way. Overcoming AUD is an ongoing process—one that can include setbacks.
It may also be useful to rehearse the intervention with those involved prior to approaching the person with AUD. The main goal of an intervention is to help the person start treatment. The key difference between AUD and these behaviors is that AUD is an addiction. This means someone with AUD is mentally and physically dependent on alcohol.