Whether it is your parent, child or partner, living with an alcoholic is never easy. Alcoholism is a dangerous addiction which is powerful enough to destroy families. Fortunately, there are some things you can do to prevent this from happening. Here are some tips to aid you in dealing with a family member who is an alcoholic.
Have an Intervention
The first thing that you should do is to let the alcoholic acknowledge that he has a drinking problem. Most of the times, alcoholics don’t realize this or they are in a state of denial. Unfortunately, alcoholics aren’t the only ones who are in denial. The family members also pretend that there is no problem which is a bad thing. It will greatly help if the problem is discussed in the open.
Introduce Boundaries
Make the alcoholic family member understand that there are boundaries that must not be crossed. If the boundaries are crossed, make it clear that there are consequences to be dealt with. Family members too must observe and stick to these boundaries to make the alcoholic understand that you are serious about this.
Do not Cover up for Them
This is one of the worst things you could do to an alcoholic. Making excuses for their drinking problem will only encourage them to continue with their behavior. If an alcoholic asks you to call in sick for them, never do it. Maintain your stand and do not enable them.
Give Them Some Tough Love
Coping with an alcoholic is not only frustrating but may put you in danger as well. Sometimes the best thing to do is to give the alcoholic a final warning. Tell the alcoholic member straight to his/her face that the drinking must stop or you will leave. It is sometimes necessary to resort to ultimatums to let the alcoholics know that you are serious about their problems.
Seek Help with a Support Group or Halfway House
Support groups can help by teaching techniques on how to cope with alcoholism and eventually how to be free from alcohol addiction. Halfway houses are crucial in an alcoholic’s recovery process. Halfway houses can help a recovering alcoholic regain his/her emotional and mental strength to face society again.
