Know Someone With Alcohol Addiction? Here Are Things You Can Do To Help

Addiction can often be a result of trauma, stress, or abuse of an addictive substance.

Substance abuse, especially alcohol, is known to be a form of slow suicide or slow death, and it is always best to avoid it at all costs. If you know someone with alcohol addiction, here are a few things you can do to help them overcome it.

Learn About Alcohol Use Disorder

The first step towards helping someone with an addiction is finding out whether they truly do have an addiction or not. You might mistake someone who uses alcohol as a coping mechanism or drinks too much from time to time for someone with alcohol use disorder or alcoholism. A few symptoms that are indicators that someone is truly suffering from alcoholism are finding excuses to drink, high tolerance (drinking more to feel the effect of alcohol), eating poorly, and violent reactions when asked about their drinking habits. There are many more symptoms, so make sure you read more about the topic to be able to help.

Offer Help and Advice

Most people often tend to go with their first instinct of wanting to help and be there for their loved ones, which results in the huge mistakes of approaching the addict in the wrong manner and at the wrong time. What you say and when you say it are important factors in whether that person will accept your help. People who suffer from mental illnesses like Obsessive Compulsive Disorder or hoarding mental health disorder tend to turn to drink as a solution, leading to addiction. It is crucial to be careful when approaching someone to offer help and not trigger their mental health disorders. Don’t try to clean their mess, don’t remind them of their responsibilities, and never ask them to stop drinking for any other reason than their own safety and well-being. You must be open and understanding when talking to the addict and ensure they understand that you will support them no matter what choices they make. If they show a positive or accepting reaction to your offer of help, recommend that they get professional help.

Be Supportive

People often think that cutting out their addicted loved ones will make them stop their substance abuse. This is entirely incorrect and can result in an inverse impact. Unless it is affecting your own mental health, you must be there for that person. If that person decides to go to rehab and aftercare, you need to always show your support and be there for them every step of the way. You can browse for ways to be more supportive. If they refuse treatment, stick by their side and ask a professional for ways to help them.

You must understand that no matter how much you try, it is impossible to convince someone to get help if they don’t want to. However, there are many indirect ways you can help someone get over their addiction. It is very important to understand that your mental health is a priority. Even though it can be hard, you need to always put yourself first in these situations, especially if you’re in a position where you are abused physically or mentally.