Help for Family Members with Alcoholism

When a member of your family is battling alcoholism, you’re just as affected as they are in many ways. You can help them by learning about treatment options, but you also need to ensure you receive treatment yourself for the psychological toll it’s taken on you.

Should You Be Treated for a Loved One’s Alcoholism?

If you find that you have been hurt by the alcoholism of someone in your life, you need psychological treatment to help you cope with the effects of their addiction. If you’ve been playing a role in their alcoholism, you need treatment as you’ve developed your own cycle of addiction by enabling them.

If you get treatment for yourself, you’ll be in a better position to help your loved one get the treatment they need as well.  You can help them determine if they truly have a problem and encourage them into treatment.

Does Your Family Member Need Alcohol Rehab?

The first step towards helping your loved one is determining whether or not they have an alcohol abuse or addiction problem.   To determine if this is the case, ask yourself the following questions about their behavior:

• Has your family member suddenly lost interest in the people and hobbies she once found fulfilling?
• Is she hanging around with a new set of friends who engage in binge drinking behavior?
• Has she experienced a sudden performance drop at work or school?
• Is she borrowing or stealing money to support her habit?
• Does she often smell of alcohol?
• Does she drink throughout the day or at “socially unacceptable” times of day?

If you answered “yes” to one or more of these questions, then your loved one may be an alcoholic and in need of alcoholism help. You will need to know how to reach out to them and help them with the addiction.

Reaching out to Help a Family Member Who Is an Alcoholic

The first thing to do after confirming your suspicions about your loved one’s drinking problem is talk to them about their condition.  If a caring, honest talk with the individual does not get results, then an intervention is the next logical step.

An alcohol intervention is a meeting in which friends and family confront their loved one about their alcoholism. An intervention will do different things, including:

• Hold up a mirror to the addict so they can see how this disease has impacted their life and the lives of those around him
• Help get an individual into treatment immediately following the meeting.

Treatment for Alcoholics and Family Members

There are some treatment programs that involve family. For more information about families and alcohol rehab treatment, contact our helpline. The call is free and confidential, and someone will be waiting to provide the answers you are looking for.