How to Help a Friend with Addiction Partnership to End Addiction

Your teen should understand that drinking alcohol comes with specific consequences. But don’t make hollow threats or set rules that you cannot enforce. As a parent or guardian, it’s normal to feel scared, angry, https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/support-for-those-who-struggling-with-alcohol-addiction/ or confused if you discover your child is drinking. But it’s important to remember that you still have a major impact on the choices that your child makes, especially during their preteen and early teen years.

A health care professional or substance use counselor can help you and the person in need assess your options. It can lead to liver disease, pancreatitis, some forms of cancer, brain damage, serious memory loss, and high blood pressure. It also makes someone more likely to die in a car wreck or from murder or suicide.

Opioid Addiction

A successful intervention must be planned carefully to work as intended. A poorly planned intervention can worsen the situation — your loved one may feel attacked and become isolated or more resistant to treatment. People who struggle with addiction are often in denial about their situation and unwilling to seek treatment. They may not recognize the negative effects their behavior has on themselves and others. Sometimes, setting boundaries for yourself can be one way for an alcoholic to reconsider their drinking and get help.

• Treatment addresses the individual’s physical, psychological, emotional, and social conditions.
• Just because someone has been drinking does not mean they will become addicted to alcohol.
• Partners of people who have substance use problems can suffer greatly.
• Exposure to alcohol abuse and encouragement to partake in alcoholic habits will depend largely on a person’s cultural background as well.
• However, the multidisciplinary approach and continuum of care offered at these rehab centers means you’ll find your best chances for recovery there.
• Specially designed programs are necessary to successfully treat individuals who have an addiction or dependency in conjunction with a co-occurring mental health disorder.

Reviewing the results, you may be surprised at your weekly drinking habits. Once you’ve made the decision to change, the next step is establishing clear drinking goals. The more specific, realistic, and clear your goals, the better. He felt “watched” at bars and other public places, which would fuel negative thoughts and anxiety. As a result, Radcliffe said he drank more at times in order to block out the feelings of judgment. No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.

Are you struggling with alcohol?

So, it’s vital that you don’t alienate your friend who is struggling with alcohol addiction. One of the ways you can be most supportive is by inviting them into community. Be willing to have a mindset focused on others and how you can best serve your friend as she seeks to overcome her dependence on alcohol by the grace of God. Teenage alcohol abuse is a severe health condition in which a person’s drinking habits become excessive.

World-famous horror novelist Stephen King battled alcohol addiction for a considerable period of time. In 1987, King sought help to quit all forms of alcohol and drugs, becoming one of many Alcoholics Anonymous celebrities who would find recovery. Ultimately, sobriety is the responsibility of the person who has the alcohol addiction.

How to support your loved one through their journey

A safe relationship opens the door for honest conservation whenever it’s needed. The moment someone feels they may be shamed, they will probably close off. The more vulnerable someone can be in a community, the more likely they are to succeed in the end. The truth is, addiction doesn’t always present itself in stereotypical ways. Women, especially, are often high-functioning and successful, masterfully hiding their strongholds behind the highlight reels of social media and accomplishments. Interestingly, alcohol consumption among women rose by 41% since March 2020, according to a Harvard health study.

• Attending a 12-step program or other support group is one of the most common treatment options for alcohol abuse and addiction.
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression, tobacco dependence and schizophrenia are some of the most common co-occurring disorders in alcoholics.
• Try taking a class, joining a church or a civic group, volunteering, or attending events in your community.
• You just happen to love someone who is probably going to need professional treatment to get healthy again.
• There’s no specific amount that indicates someone has an alcohol use disorder.

It’s important that the person get back on track and resume treatment. Based on clinical experience, many health providers believe that support from friends and family members is important in overcoming alcohol problems. But friends and family may feel unsure about how best to provide the support needed.

Of course, not everyone who drinks too much is an alcoholic. Depending on the level of your loved one’s problem—and how much control they have over their drinking—they may be able to reduce their alcohol intake to a healthier level rather than quit altogether. Alcohol abuse and addiction doesn’t just affect the person drinking—it affects their families and loved ones, too. Watching a family member struggle with a drinking problem can be as heartbreakingly painful as it is frustrating.

As a result, the person with a SUD doesn’t deal with the consequences of their actions. Someone with AUD typically doesn’t want anyone to know the level of their alcohol consumption because if someone found out the full extent of the problem, they might try to help. Don’t allow the disappointments and mistakes of the past affect your choices today—circumstances have probably changed. You don’t have to create a crisis, but learning detachment will help you allow a crisis—one that may be the only way to create change—to happen. John C. Umhau, MD, MPH, CPE is board-certified in addiction medicine and preventative medicine. For over 20 years Dr. Umhau was a senior clinical investigator at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).