It’s difficult when you see a loved one dealing with an addiction to alcohol. Their alcohol abuse may have started off slow, but now it’s turned into a different problem. You may have seen them progressive in their drinking habits, and you’re frightened that it may be too late to help them. Cypress Lakes Lodge wants you to know that there is always a way to help someone dealing with an alcohol addiction.
When is Drinking a Problem?
It’s important for you to observe your loved one’s behavior with alcohol before you make assumptions or approach them about the problem. It’s not a matter of how much they drink or how often, but it becomes a problem when it affects their life.
- If you notice your loved one struggling with work, relationships, school, or social activities due to the abuse of alcohol, this could be a sign of their problem with alcohol addiction.
- If your loved one is acquiring alcohol in all social situations and having drinks when others aren’t, this is a sign of a problem.
- When you realize your family member or friend cannot cut back on their drinking, this is a serious issue.
Learn About Alcohol Use Disorder
The most important thing to do before getting into a conversation with your loved one about their situation is to research and learn everything you need to know about alcohol addiction and a use disorder. You may even want to contact a recovery treatment center for advice if you’re seeking help for someone.
How Do I Approach My Loved One?
You never want to approach someone struggling with alcohol when they are drinking. It’s important to set aside time to talk to them when they’re sober and reasonably calm. Address the issue at hand, and make sure to focus on how their actions have affected you first and foremost. Try not to use alcoholism as a term. After you communicate your concern with them, it’s vital for you to listen with an open heart and mind without interruption.
After your discussion of the problem, you could finally come to a compromise with action steps on how to help them combat their alcohol addiction. You need to show them compassion and encouragement for them to be motivated to be proactive in their recovery. If you make promises, it may backfire, so it’s important for you to be supportive, and set out day-to-day goals.
What NOT to do:
- Do not drink with your loved one
- Don’t argue with them about their addiction
- Don’t take on their responsibilities
- Do not keep other close friends or relatives in the dark about their situation
- Do not threaten, demand or personally attack them
Getting Help for Alcohol Addiction
It’s never easy to recover from an addiction on your own. As a loved one, the support and encouragement you show to your family member or friend goes a long way. You’re not the only one that needs to help them to get better. Before you bring up the suggestion for getting help from a treatment center, you’ll need to have a few conversations before putting the thought into their head. If they agree they need to get help after a few discussions, then you can encourage them to seek out help from addiction recovery center in Houston, Texas, Cypress Lakes Lodge.
We use a holistic approach when it comes to treating alcohol addiction. We are a full-service treatment center offering a variety of options from residential treatment to outpatient therapy, so that our patients can work with us on their recovery and therapy process. Our detox, counseling, and dedication to lifelong recovery process helps many people suffering from alcohol addiction. When you have a team to back and support you through your journey to recovery, the process becomes easier and easier.
If your loved one needs help recovering from alcohol addiction, contact Cypress Lakes Lodge at 409-331-2204 today!