How to Handle a Family Alcoholic

Alcoholism is a problem plaguing much of American society. It’s a problem like anything else, and so it also has a solution. If you have a father who’s an alcoholic, a mother who starts drinking cocktails in the morning, or maybe a sibling who lost his license from a DUI, this article will detail how to deal with them. They are rarely evil people--just individuals trying to escape the world. This philosophy proposes action and patience. Read on to learn how to handle a family alcoholic.

Things You'll Need

• Help from others
• Understanding alcoholism afflicts many
• Willingness to reach out

Instructions

1. Understand the disease. Much like schizophrenia or manic depression can be passed down from parent to child, so can alcoholism. The Journal of the American Medical Association said this about alcoholism in general, pointing to the genetic factors, “The committee agreed to define alcoholism as a primary, chronic disease with genetic, psychosocial and environmental factors influencing its development and manifestations.” What exactly does that mean? Alcoholism is a disease. Diseases need treatment. People with diseases shouldn’t be judged.

2. Decide to take action. A call to action is needed to help the family member defeat alcoholism. Often this will be AA meetings. But it might be better in the beginning to ask for outside help, from doctors or therapists. This can be a place for the alcoholic to express himself. Even sharing all these things might not work. The alcoholic may be experiencing severe bouts of depression. Often medications will be used to treat it. Some of these are more popular than others; some can have negative effects; and some alcoholics won’t take medication. Sometimes you have to wait--not making judgments--but waiting for the alcoholic to find his way back.

3. Avoid giving the alcoholic money. The worst thing to do is allow the alcoholic to keep going, to continue to give him money to the illness. Even leaving valuables around can be dangerous. Relationships won’t matter and neither will money. Anything to get the booze is what the alcoholic wants.

4. Defeat alcoholism with support. Alcoholism is something that can be defeated. There is more help today than there was 20 years ago. For every active alcoholic, there is someone out there trying to quit. Look at it like you would a story--at some point, there will be an ending. The best route you can go to make it happy ending is to offer help whenever you can, reminding the alcoholic you are there, reminding yourself trusting the alcoholic is a mistake.

Tips & Warnings

• Try to stay positive with the alcoholic about his or her chances for beating the disease.

• Alcoholism can lead to death, so consider this a serious problem.