Alcoholism is one of the significant family diseases in a household. It doesn’t just affect the well-being of the person suffering from the addiction, but his or her family experience as well. The addiction negatively impacts the family’s mental and physical health, finances, and stability.
Moreover, when someone is drunk and wasted, the home environment will become tense and unpredictable. Often, family members who have this kind of addiction will deny it, make lots of excuses, or perhaps, attempt to stop it. These are just a few examples of responses to a home environment that feels like its spinning and unmanageable.
What Can You Do to Make Them Stop?
If you’re loved one is suffering from this kind of addiction, it’s quite natural to have a desperate move to save them. When that happens, it’s more likely that your loved one has already gotten to the point of continuous drinking despite the apparent issues caused by them.
Social, personal, and maybe a legal problem that affects normal people thinking that their drinking habits should be eliminated doesn’t affect alcoholics. It’s essential to understand that this is not their weakness. Rather, alcoholic people are psychologically addicted to the components of alcohol and require immediate drug and alcohol rehab.
But the challenge is this, most of them are in a denial state that there’s no problem about them. No matter how obvious the problems are, alcohol-dependent person wholeheartedly denies that drinking is the reasons for their issues. Most of the time, they might blame other people or circumstances around them about the problems.
There are some things you can do to show your support for your loved ones. Offer them solutions, ideas, and consequences to their continued drinking. If none of this worked, try the following tips below:
Get Fully Informed about Alcohol Addiction
The first step to help your loved ones to overcome his or her addiction is to learn about alcoholism. It involves two things:
- Understand your loved one’s behavior
- Stop blaming him or her
The drinker needs to take responsibility for their actions, as a family member, you must also understand that alcoholism is a chronic disease. You must know the symptoms, and sometimes, it is due to your family’s genes and stressful life circumstances. Once you understand alcoholism, you’ll know that your loved one is suffering from an illness and doesn’t want you to hurt personally.
Talk to the Person in a Non-Accusatory Way
Alcohol problem is a sensitive subject. It’s advisable to have a plan about what you’re going to say to her or him. Wait until your loved one become emotionally stable before starting a conversation. Also, make sure you are calm and peaceful, so the drinker doesn’t feel getting ganged up. Do not use an accusatory word like, “You’d better go to a rehab or else (consequences).”
It’s also important to show that you care for them and you loved them. Be honest and genuine about your concerns. Try to calmly include how drinking affects his health and your family as well. Carefully mention a particular problem that’s arising from his/her drinking habit like financial or relationship issues. Let them know and feel that you’re here to support them and not to accuse them.