It’s important to approach a person with a drinking problem from a solutions-based standpoint. When you sit them down alone or with family, you want to be able to show them you took the time to research and understand their options https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/support-for-those-who-struggling-with-alcohol-addiction/ for getting help or treatment for substance abuse. Standing by your friend or family member’s progress during and after treatment is important, too. Even after recovery, your person will be in situations they can’t predict.

Members can participate in face-to-face meetings worldwide and access digital resources such as a 24/7 chat room, message board and daily online meetings. The organization’s 4-Point Program empowers you to overcome alcoholism, teaches you how to maintain sobriety and gives you the tools for a balanced life. Don’t consider your part done after your friend or family member is in therapy. Offer to help out with work, childcare, and household tasks if they get in the way of treatment sessions. Only 8.7% of young adult alcohol dependents have ever sought treatment for their drinking problem.

Step 5: Offer your support

Encourage your loved one to develop new hobbies and interests that don’t involve drinking. You may be worried that if you bring up your concerns the person will get angry, defensive, lash out, or simply deny that they have a problem. Your loved one’s drinking isn’t likely to get better on its own; it’s more likely to get worse until you speak up. Three medications are currently approved in the United States to help people stop or reduce their drinking and prevent relapse. They are prescribed by a primary care physician or other health professional and may be used alone or in combination with counseling. Behavioral treatments are aimed at changing drinking behavior through counseling.

• There are several approaches available for treating alcohol problems.
• Contrary to myth, being able to “hold your liquor” means you’re probably more at risk — not less — for alcohol problems.
• The results of the assessment can offer initial guidance to the drinker about what treatment to seek and help motivate the problem drinker to get treatment.
• Usually, a person who is drinking heavily will feel a lot of shame and guilt around their habits, but will not be ready to admit it or give it up.
• Listening to others facing the same challenges can serve as a tremendous source of comfort and support, and help you develop new tools for coping.

If you recognize the warning signs that your loved one has a problem with alcohol, the first step to helping them is to learn all you can about addiction and alcohol abuse. Just as some people with diabetes or asthma may have flare-ups of their disease, a relapse to drinking can be seen as a temporary setback to full recovery and not a complete failure. Seeking professional help can prevent relapse—behavioral therapies can help people develop skills to avoid and overcome triggers, such as stress, that might lead to drinking. Most people benefit from regular checkups with a treatment provider. Medications also can deter drinking during times when individuals may be at greater risk of relapse (e.g., divorce, death of a family member). We turn to alcohol as a coping mechanism, and over time that coping can turn into a disorder.

Tips for finding the best addiction treatment

There are different forms of treatment available based on frequency of alcohol consumption and severity of alcohol abuse. Recovering from alcohol addiction is a process that continues long after rehab. It takes commitment to practice and applying the techniques you learn in rehab, counseling, support groups, and other types of therapy. Your loved one will feel more prepared to begin the recovery process when they have a support system rooting for their success.

But experts believe that any number of programs can lead to success – if the person is willing to accept help from others and invest energy in working on recovery. A physician or another health care professional can also help you choose where someone should go for treatment. All treatment starts with a screening, which is a series of questions about the amount and frequency of alcohol or other drug use and the consequences it may be causing. Screening can be done by many types of professionals, including a physician in a hospital or an office, a nurse, a clinical social worker, or a licensed substance abuse counselor. They worry it may trigger a parent’s drinking or substance use.

Alcoholism Stats

The only requirement to become a member of Women for Sobriety is to be committed to continued abstinence. Members have access to many self-help tools such as an online forum, conferences, booklets and DVDs. Crystal Raypole has previously worked as a writer and editor for GoodTherapy. Her fields of interest include Asian languages and literature, Japanese translation, cooking, natural sciences, sex positivity, and mental health. In particular, she’s committed to helping decrease stigma around mental health issues. Exploring, in writing, what you find difficult and when you most want to drink can help you notice patterns that offer more insight into your alcohol use.

• Help your loved one plan how they’re going to avoid triggers to drink, deal with alcohol cravings, and cope in social situations where there’s pressure to drink.
• This may mean making major changes to your social life, such as finding new things to do with your old drinking buddies—or even giving up those friends and finding new ones.
• And without change, the problems may become so severe that the same drastic outcomes could result.

When used by a physician to screen patients for possible AUDs, two positive responses to the four CAGE questions indicate that further assessment is needed. Keep in mind that, while helpful in determining whether your current drinking habits could be problematic, these tests should not be considered a medical diagnosis. People who have parents with substance use problems are at higher risk of having these problems too. A support group or therapy can help you learn how to avoid this risk. Get professional help from an addiction and mental health counselor from BetterHelp. One of the biggest hangups of alcoholism and why it perpetuates is the drinker feels they are going to live by themselves or that the world is against them, and they cannot catch a break.

Alcoholism Resources

You don’t want to come at them while they are buzzed, drunk or stressed. Often the best time of day to catch someone without a drink in his or her hands already is in the morning. You want to approach them in a peaceful and private setting, so you have the most probable opportunity for them to open up to you and receive the important message you are carrying for them. The Women for Sobriety organization was designed to help women who suffer from alcoholism or substance abuse. Meeting and support groups follow the Thirteen Statement Program.

Psychologists can also diagnose and treat these “co-occurring” psychological conditions. Further, a psychologist may play an important role in coordinating the services a drinker in treatment receives from various health professionals. Depression and anxiety often go hand in hand with heavy drinking. Studies show that people who are alcohol dependent are two to three times as likely to suffer from major depression or anxiety over their lifetime. When addressing drinking problems, it’s important to also seek treatment for any accompanying medical and mental health issues. If you or a loved one is ready to overcome an alcohol addiction, it’s time to seek help.

How to Help My Friend Get into Addiction Rehab

Spouses and children of heavy drinkers may face family violence; children may suffer physical and sexual abuse and neglect and develop psychological problems. Women who drink during pregnancy run a serious risk of damaging their fetuses. Relatives, friends and strangers can be injured or killed in alcohol-related accidents and assaults. While you can’t shelter your loved one from situations where alcohol is present, you can avoid drinking with or around the person. When you spend time together, try to suggest activities that don’t involve alcohol. When someone spends a lot of time drinking (and recovering from drinking), quitting or cutting down can leave a huge hole in their lives.