Alcohol addiction is one of the leading causes of family breakup worldwide. In case your partner or loved one is an alcoholic, the solution may not have to include separation as there are other ways to try first that might help such a person. In the beginning, he/she may hide from you that he doesn’t drink but there are certain symptoms that will clearly show that he/she is addicted to alcohol. For example, the behaviors, health condition, and how he/she spends money.
If you have a loved one that matches the below list you might want more professional help, in this case the ARCProject is wide open for those who wish to aid alcoholics through rehab services in the UK. It also provides you with detailed information on exactly how to handle such people and even the early symptoms.
Here are some of the things you need to should do if you have alcohol addict in your immediate family or friends:
Open Up and Talk to them
Communication is one way you can talk to your partner and let him/her know the consequences of too much drinking. You need to have a good approach in the best place possible and when they are 100% sober. This should be back home or in some private place without shaming him/her. In some cases, the conversation may be kind of uncomfortable to your family member but it is an important step you need to take. You can also intervene in some cases by suggesting rehab and through this it might bring the point home that the drinking is causing a lot of problems to the family.
Put their Feelings First
In most cases, when he/she is drunk, the person will barely handle any core at home or move around. As a partner or friend, always ensure that you put their feeling first. You should make sure that they eat, never let them sleep on the floor, handle them with care and show that you really care for him/her even when they are essentially destroying themselves.
This of course does not mean putting up with abuse or other violence in anyway though. If you are in any danger this may mean separation is best for you (So seek professional help).
Hold to the Relationship
If the addict is your partner and no abuse is involved, the first thing you should never do is just to call it quits. By quitting, you can leave the person in the worse condition. Try your best to keep the family together and provide them the support and love needed. Never give up and instead look for the best solution to overcome the addiction. For example, you can get a professional to counsel the partner in an informal setting if they need it (Not just in the case of rehab).
Don’t Offer Ultimatums
Alcoholics may be very disrespectful, stubborn, and cause a lot of stress. Despite all these issues, you should try not to give up on them. Try to not give ultimatums even when they stress and frustrate you. Because if you give an ultimatum and then don’t keep it they will think you are overreacting or the problem is not that bad. Almost like you are the one that has a problem not them!
Instead, always continue showing love and offering advice on what needs to be done for them to get well. By speaking it over constantly with them whenever they are not drunk, they may start to see the consequences.
Take Advantage of Useful Resources Around
Is there a friend or close relative who was an alcoholic and now has quit drinking? In case you know such a person, you need to ask them to speak to your partner. In case, they cannot personally speak to them, you can listen to how they overcome such condition and got a better life and maybe apply what you learn in your current situation. Secondly, you can also look for the best resources on addiction on the internet or any other readily available there are even apps that can help with this.
These are some of the simple practices that you will find useful when it comes to handling friends, relatives or partner who became an alcoholic. Apart from this, always make them feel loved and cared for instead of neglecting them. Taking such people to rehab may be a solution at some point when they fail to quit drinking. So check out the ARCProject like I mentioned before or search around your local area for useful resources that will aid you in handling alcohol addicts. You can also visit their rehab clinic and talk to their experts for more advice.
