Ways to Help an Alcoholic Loved One

When you want to help an alcoholic in your life, it’s not always clear what to do. When you are dealing with substance abuse, denial is common. Your loved one might not believe they have an addiction to alcohol and feel as though they can drink socially.

At Alina Lodge, we understand that sometimes you feel helpless when you want to help someone in your life that is struggling with addiction. With the right support and encouragement, your loved one might decide to get the help they need from an alcohol rehab center such as Alina Lodge.

Identifying an Alcoholic in Your Life

You might wonder if a person that you care about is an alcoholic. If you are disturbed by the amount of alcohol they drink, or they make poor decisions while drinking, there are a number of ways to identify if alcohol is a problem in their life. Your loved one may not be truthful in discussions about their alcohol use, but you can make observations on your own.

You might have an alcoholic in your life if:

• They repeatedly drive while intoxicated, even when promising to stop
• They drink to excess all the time and often don’t remember the event
• Their life is suffering because of problems at work or in relationships because of drinking
• They face legal issues as a result of drinking
• They promise to stop drinking, but they never do

If you want to help an alcoholic in your life, both of you have to be willing to admit there is a problem. Your loved one will have to go through the withdrawal process, and this is best done with professional supervision.

When an alcoholic tries to detox at home, there is a high chance of relapse to prevent the withdrawal symptoms from occurring. Withdrawing from alcohol can be quite difficult, and you want your loved one to be in a treatment facility to get the best care possible, like the care at Alina Lodge.

How You Can Help an Alcoholic Seek Treatment

It isn’t an easy process to help an alcoholic go to the treatment they need for recovery. You have to remember that it is not your choice, and you aren’t responsible for the actions of the person who needs help. You can encourage your loved one to seek treatment, but if they are resistant, it will take some work for the person to seek help. Once you have talked to your loved one about your concerns, you can:

• Stop enabling substance abuse by setting boundaries
• Refuse to hang out when the individual is drunk
• Decline requests for money to support an unhealthy lifestyle
• Acknowledge that you are powerless over your loved one’s addiction

While you can try to help an alcoholic seek treatment, they have to be willing to accept the help being offered. Some families choose to stage an intervention when the situation is out of control. You can do this with professional help, but proper preparation makes it more likely that the intervention will work. Be clear about your expectations with your loved one, and keep your boundaries clear. If it makes you stressed that your loved one is drinking, you have the right to stop being around it.

Reach Out to Alina Lodge Today to Help an Alcoholic Loved One

If you are trying to figure out how to help an alcoholic in your life, it’s time to contact Alina Lodge at 833.685.1700. We can offer support to help you talk to your loved one and see if they are ready to get the treatment they deserve. Substance abuse and alcohol addiction can be hard to face. When your loved one knows you are there for support, they are more likely to get the treatment they need.