How to Help If Your Loved One Has a Drinking Problem

by Iola Feliciano | Mar 23, 2016 | Drug Addiction

The Huffington Post says relapse is common for people in recovery. It’s common enough that you shouldn’t view relapse as the end of the world. If a friend or family member is going through recovery, understand that relapses will usually happen. And that it’s going to happen for quite a number of times. There are a few other things you’ll need to keep in mind if you want to help a loved one through recovery.

Points to Remember

Never try to bribe them, punish them or threaten them in order to get them to stop. Don’t preach either. These tactics won’t work and will only serve to create an even bigger rift between you and your friend or family.
Never tell them you know what they’re going through. If you haven’t gone through the experience yet, you don’t really know how it feels, much less know what’s personally at stake. Alcohol addiction, like any other addiction, comes with a ton of emotional issues. If you haven’t gone through the same pain, the same hell, someone working through those issues will know you haven’t got the slightest clue. So don’t attempt to foster any rapport by saying you’re both in the same boat when you clearly aren’t.
Don’t argue with them when they’re under the influence, HelpGuide warns. This can cause them to react violently or lose control that they might end up hurting you or themselves. Don’t let that happen. Call for help if you must, if you see signs that your loved one might end up violent under the influence of alcohol. But don’t ever engage a friend or family member in a fight when you know they’ve had too much to drink and might not be in full control of themselves.
Don’t expect your loved one to recover without help. Recovery is tough enough with help. It’s impossible without. That’s why finding an alcohol rehab in Malibu matters. Professional help can go a long way to getting your loved one on the way to recovery. Also, if your loved one is suffering from long-term addiction, then they’ll undergo withdrawal symptoms and it’s best to have them in a controlled environment. Without help, he could go into cardiac arrest. Having medical supervision available can keep that from happening.