Are You Living With an Alcoholic?

We all love our family members and friends. It’s difficult to watch them go through life with any illness. Living with an alcoholic is particularly difficult because the alcoholic isn’t the only one who suffers. Their antics and behaviors tend to have a profound effect on anyone living in the home.

Alcohol use disorder (what was previously called alcoholism) affects more than just the individuals abusing alcohol. The disease frequently makes the lives of these living with the one addicted to alcohol difficult and troubling. However, alcohol addiction also impacts others professionally and socially. Thus, helping an individual identify their alcohol use disorder and find the appropriate addiction treatment is something we all have a stake in accomplishing. At Beaches Recovery, we understand the challenges facing individuals struggling with alcohol addiction as well as those around them who care for them.

The Personal Conflict That Comes With Living With an Alcoholic

As a member of a household with an alcoholic in the mix, you might find yourself caught in the middle of a personal conflict. If you allow the person to drink without getting involved, you become an enabler. If you choose to say something and get involved, you run the risk of alienating your loved one. It’s quite understandable that a decision like this is difficult to make.

Here’s the thing. Allowing addictive behavior to take place in the home helps no one. It’s simply the easy way out. It’s far better to take a chance on alienating a loved one when saving his or her life is the primary objective. Left to their own devices, alcoholics are usually hell-bent on self-destruction, sometimes without knowing why. If a good kick in the rear helps save their life, it’s a risk worth taking.

Dealing With Codependency

Living with an alcoholic is a tragedy. Are you getting caught up in their cycle of addiction? Tragedy times two. If you find yourself living a life of codependency, the first thing you need to do is get help for yourself. Your ability to help a loved one is most likely being compromised by your inability to accept living with an alcoholic. You may think you are a loving friend or family member by trying to clean up their messes, but you are only assuming that he or she will do nothing to take responsibility for his or her own life. The best way to help someone who is an alcohol addict is to make sure you yourself are healthy.

Helping Your Loved One

When the time comes that you finally decide to take a leap of faith and confront your alcoholic loved one, you need to do so with empathy and conviction. An intervention assists multiple family members and loved ones to come forward and make a stand. Of course, the alcoholic may rebuff all attempts to help him or her, but you can take great comfort in knowing you are doing the right thing.

When a loved one is ready for treatment, a full-service drug and alcohol treatment like Beaches Recovery is a great place to start. We offer the following custom treatment options, designed to get your loved one firmly on the road to recovery.

• Detox for either drugs or alcohol
• Inpatient care – primary and extended care
• Outpatient and intensive outpatient program
• Family counseling program
• Residential drug rehab treatment
• Dual Diagnosis treatment
• Partial hospitalization program
• Aftercare programs

For more information about dealing with a loved one who has alcohol addiction, we encourage you to call us at 866.605.0532 or contact us online. Help get your loved one into a treatment program. It could save his or her life.