Helping Someone To
Overcome Alcoholism

Alcohol is, without question, one of the most commonly abused substances on the planet Earth. Approximately one out of every fourteen individuals in America alone has a problem with alcoholism. What these statistics fail to portray, however, is the effect that alcoholism can have on the people besides the alcoholic.

The friends and the family of the alcoholic are most often the individuals who experience the most emotional pain from the alcoholics problem. In this article, well go over some of the basics of intervening when an individuals drinking problem is getting to be too much.

It is a very difficult procedure to getting an alcoholic to actively seek help. Many individuals that have problems with their drinking are in denial that they are actually damaging their lives through their drinking. Unfortunately, it is tough to get an alcoholic to listen to you until they are ready to face the facts that their drinking has become a problem that is beyond their control.

They may only realize that their drinking has become a problem when their pain has become too extreme for them to go on. To that end, the only things that you can really do are work towards not enabling their habit any longer. Many family members of an alcoholic find solace in groups such as AlAnon, or AlaTeen.

These two organizations were formed in order to help individuals who are coping with an alcoholic in their lives. One of the main ideas that are taught by these groups is that many people who think that they are helping an alcoholic are actually harming them. There are many different ways that you may be actually increasing the problem that they face.

People who care for alcoholics when they come home drunk and then never mention it are helping to encourage the behavior. On the other hand, those that overly scold the alcoholic for their behaviors may also be contributing to the problem. Also, those who try to explain to the alcoholic that their actions are harming them in some way may also cause an increase in the behavior.

Did You Know

For the alcoholic, quitting drinking is extremely difficult and something that takes time, patience, and dedication. Recovery is not a task that can be entered into lightly or without reservation. If you don't have access to an AA support group then you have 3 other options.

You can use self-help books where the alcoholic is taking responsibility for his own health. This can work well because once the person knows of the problem it becomes easier to resolve.

By putting together their own plan of action and choosing his own techniques, the alcoholic takes an active role in the recovery process. The more common techniques include examining the individual’s need for alcohol, decide whether to quit drinking altogether, or just to cut back, identify the reasons for quitting drinking and sharing the recovery plan with others. These are just a few steps that can be involved in self-recovery.

Another thing that someone with alcoholism can do to recover from it is to use a combination of approaches. This could involve working on self-help issues, going to AA meetings and involving other people in the process for support.

The benefit of this approach is that you can work on the issues behind the drinking while at the same time developing some kind of accountability to others. Plus you would be able to rely on support from people around you when you go through the tough times.

To that end, it is often recommended that individuals in the household do nothing at all when the alcoholic gets out of hand. In this way, the alcoholic is forced to face the fact that the problems that they are facing with their drinking are their own and they have nothing to do with their familys actions. That way, the pain is left purely with the alcoholic and they will hopefully realize the problems that they are causing sooner than if you are enabling them through your actions.

Interesting Facts

Talk to someone if you find that drinking is becoming a problem. Seek the assistance of Alcoholics Anonymous. That's what they are there for.

While there is no sure-fire way for getting an alcoholic to realize how their behavior is affecting their lives and the lives of their loved ones, groups such as AlAnon can really help a family to cope with the problem. Hopefully, they will be able to come to their senses, but another thing that the support groups emphasize is that you are not responsible for the alcoholics decisions. In any case, stay strong.

Alcoholism in the News

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10/06/2008
Obituary: Hayden Carruth (Guardian Unlimited)
Obituary: US poet of sorrow and human dignity

Obituary: Hayden Carruth (Guardian Unlimited)

10/05/2008
Area psychiatrist could lose medical license due to '06 DUI (Santa Maria Times)
A psychiatrist who becomes a patient for alcoholism or other addictions

Area psychiatrist could lose medical license due to '06 DUI (Santa Maria Times)

10/06/2008
The Amethyst Initiative: Should drinking age be lowered? (The Record Searchlight)
Dear Straight Talk: I am the daughter and granddaughter of alcoholics. As a recovering alcoholic, I haven't had a drink in 21 years. So far, two of my children have the disease of alcoholism. My 16-year-old daughter spent time in a locked-down psych ward for attempted suicide, followed by drug and alcohol treatment. Today she's clean and sober. My 26-year-old son is also sober after a ...

The Amethyst Initiative: Should drinking age be lowered? (The Record Searchlight)

10/06/2008
Moms dish in a new book (The Wichita Eagle)
Moms are the most fascinating group of multitasking mavens around. So when I met fellow mom/editor, Molly Rosen (a friend of a friend of a friend, and fellow mom), who was compiling a book about women in their 40s, my only question was, "How soon do you need my essay?" From tattoos to affairs, from motherhood to mayhem, from battling alcoholism and eating disorders and everything in between, ...

Moms dish in a new book (The Wichita Eagle)

10/06/2008
Moms dish in a new book (The Wichita Eagle)
Moms are the most fascinating group of multitasking mavens around. So when I met fellow mom/editor, Molly Rosen (a friend of a friend of a friend, and fellow mom), who was compiling a book about women in their 40s, my only question was, "How soon do you need my essay?" From tattoos to affairs, from motherhood to mayhem, from battling alcoholism and eating disorders and everything in between, ...

Moms dish in a new book (The Wichita Eagle)

10/06/2008
Expert advice: Alcohol not the only cause of cirrhosis (Baltimore Sun)
Expert advice Nearly 17.6 million adults in the United States are alcoholics or have an alcohol problem, according to the National Institutes of Health. Between 10 percent and 20 percent of heavy drinkers develop cirrhosis of the liver, which is the 12th leading cause of death by disease. But alcoholism is not the only risk factor for this disease, says Dr. Paul Thuluvath, medical director of ...

Expert advice: Alcohol not the only cause of cirrhosis (Baltimore Sun)

10/06/2008
Hasselhoff a 'falling-down drunk' (The Arizona Republic)
David Hasselhoff is a "falling-down drunk", says his ex-wife.

Hasselhoff a 'falling-down drunk' (The Arizona Republic)

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Better Your Health

Alcoholism is a Widespread Problem


◦	What the Bible Says About Alcohol Abuse

◦	The Difference Between Alcohol Dependence And Alcohol Abuse

◦	What is the Attraction To Alcohol

◦	FAQ's About Alcoholism Pt 1

◦	FAQ's About Alcoholism Pt 2

◦	A Brief Summary Regarding Alcoholism

◦	Alcohol Abuse and the College Campus

◦	The Brain And Alcohol

◦	Health Risks For Women Alcoholics

◦	Holiday Survival Guide For The Alcoholic

◦	How A Child See's Alcoholism

◦	Alcoholism Detoxification Steps

◦	Alcoholism and the Workplace

◦	The Children of Alcoholics

◦	Common Questions About Alcoholism

◦	Tests for Alcohol Use

◦	Do All Alcoholics Need a Rehab Center

◦	The Dangers and Penalties Of Drinking and Driving

◦	The War On Drunk Driving

◦	How To Determine When Someone Needs Professional Help

◦	Some Facts About Alcoholism

◦	Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

◦	Diet Hints To Assist With Alcoholism Withdrawal

◦	Helping Someone To Overcome Alcoholism

◦	Alcoholism Risk Is Linked to Early Aged Drinking

◦	A Portrait Of An Alcoholic

◦	The Symptoms of Alcoholism

◦	Basic Facts About Alcoholism

◦	Hard Facts About Alcoholism

◦	Cautions Concerning Non Alcoholic Beer

◦	The College Campus And Alcoholism

◦	Dangers of Alcoholism

◦	Alcoholics Anonymous Steps 1-6

◦	Alcoholics Anonymous Steps 6-12

◦	What Causes An Alcoholic Blackout

◦	New Shot to Treat Alcoholism

◦	Alcoholism's Physical Effects

◦	Group Support For Alcoholism

◦	Threats From Alcoholism

◦	The Truth About Alcoholism

◦	Treating The Three Main Issues In Alcoholism

◦	Treatments for Alcoholism

◦	Vitamins and Supplements For The Alcoholic

◦	Recovering From Alcoholism

◦	Help Your Teen Avoid Becoming An Alcoholic

◦	What Is Alcholism

◦	Family Members Drinking Too Much

◦	Explain Alcoholism

◦	Who Are The Alcoholics

◦	Women Fighting The Consequences of Alcoholism

◦	Al Anon Support For The Alcoholic's Family

◦	Health Consequences Of Alcoholism

◦	Medications Used For Treating Alcoholism

◦	Screening Tests For Alcoholism

◦	What Is The Difference Between Alcohol Abuse And Alcoholism

◦	How to Stop Drinking Alcohol without AA

◦	The Truth About Alcoholics Anonymous

◦	Alcoholism - Curable or Just Controllable

◦	The Causes of Alcoholism

◦	So How Much Drinking Really Is Too Much?

◦	Is Alcoholism Hereditary

◦	What Children Need to Know About Alcohol

◦	How to Recognize When Children are Drinking

◦	What You Need to Know about how to Set Up an Intervention for an Alcoholic

◦	How to Quit Drinking Without Gaining Weight

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Helping Someone To Overcome Alcoholism

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Helping Someone To
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