How to help someone stop drinking? This is the question that many fathers, mothers, friends, boyfriends and girlfriends ask when trying to help someone special to them to stop drinking.
In this article we present some tips on how to help an alcoholic to stop drinking and explain the reasons why it is necessary to enlist the help of specialists for treatment. We think it is important to address these issues so that these people can take the first step towards recovery.
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If your loved one has a problem with alcohol and is afraid that it will turn into a major addiction, then try to reason carefully with them. It is convenient to talk about the benefits of stopping drinking at times when there has been no consumption.
Use the right words and in an understandable tone. Little by little, the alcoholic will question himself and remember the consequences of drinking too much. It is important to advise someone to stop drinking, but I do so without judging or implying that alcoholism is a weakness.
In addition to talking carefully about the benefits of quitting alcohol, you should also be able to listen. Encourage your friend, son, husband, mother, etc. to open his heart to understand the reasons why he started drinking.
Many alcoholics start drinking because they are anxious, feel distressed about a particular issue, or have problems with work (or lack of work). Get your loved one to share all these underlying causes to stay sober longer.
In this process of how to help an alcoholic to stop drinking, you should not take anything personally, nor give rise to further discussions. Do not provoke or make emotional appeals, as theyincrease the alcoholic’s sense of guilt.
Give the alcoholic person space to accept the overcoming challenge that he has to start now and don’t make any ultimatums. Endless speech is not healthy for anyone.
Try not to drink around an alcoholic because you will be fueling his addiction. In fact, we even recommend avoiding having alcoholic beverages at home.
Away from home, youcan help an alcoholic person to stop drinking by taking them to quieter, less crowded places, where it is not possible to buy alcohol. They can, for example, go for walks in the open air together or other activities that allow them to find some peace with nature.
Don’t expect the person you love the most to overcome the problem of alcoholism alone, because that’s complicated. Try to motivate him to see a psychologist or call a self-help group for helpful advice on starting treatment.
Note, however, that in the case of self-help groups, this path is not always the best, because there is no professional presence. The same for psychologists who support the family andhelp the addict get into a rehabilitation center, but alone cannot solve the problem.
When you don’t know what else to do, contact the best alcoholism treatment clinic to solve this and other health problems your loved one is facing.
A medical specialist can assessalcohol consumption patterns, assess other disorders, and provide steps for treatment. It seems crucial to us to participate in a personalized program and to have the help of a multidisciplinary team like the one at Villa Ramadas.
We are one of the main alcohol treatment centers in Portugal, with recovery spaces from north to south of the country. Contact the clinical team at Villa Ramadas to get all the information and learn about each stage of this change.
Prepare for an alcoholic’s relapses and quits, but don’t feel guilty. Alcohol relapses are common in treatments and the only thing you can do is show your love every day and tell your loved one that they can count on their support again.
Take advantage of family therapy sessions to learn how to deal with the fact that your loved one wants to drink and, in turn, help him to get up after a relapse. Don’t be discouraged!
If you want to help an alcoholic person stop drinking, you shouldn’t share the problem with everyone. It is important to protect your image. You should first speak to a small group of people and contact a specialist as soon as possible, so as not to expose yourself too much.
When alcoholics’ behavior becomes abusive and leads to domestic violence, you should report it to law enforcement immediately. Respecting and protecting an alcoholic’s privacy does not mean agreeing with all of their behavior.
Alcohol is a lethal drug that leads to death and affects the physical and mental health of friends and family alike. In this way, in addition to helping the alcoholic to stay sober, it is essential to take care of himself.
Helping someone to stop drinking and forget about their well-being can lead to depression. Try to be well emotionally and physically, as you will also increase an alcoholic person’s chances of recovery.
Alcoholism leads to addiction, just like drugs. It’s not easy to follow these tips on how to help someone stop drinking, especially when they don’t want help. Be patient, remain vigilant and be able to trust the specialist doctors at Villa Ramadas.
When he accepts the alcoholic’s behavior and when he is able to impose his lifestyle on the people around him, a certain degree of emotional co-dependence is created. The alcoholic will feel in the superior role and will blackmail him. Make sure that the alcoholic is not deprived of any sense of responsibility. To heal others, you must first know how to take care of yourself!