Trying to help an alcohol is a noble goal, but it isn’t always easy. Knowing how to help an alcoholic properly can ensure that you do the most good for a friend or family member. Explore how to help, and what to avoid, on your quest to help loved ones achieve sobriety.
Understand the Nature of Addiction
One of the top ways to help an alcoholic is to understand the true nature of his or her disease. Addiction is an illness, not a choice. By understanding that, individuals can treat alcohol addiction like any other medical diagnosis.
By truly understanding what addiction means, it’ll be easier for your friend or loved one to approach recovery. Individuals can’t be expected to make sweeping changes without the help of medical professionals. Education can also reveal root causes of addiction and the role of mental health on the development of addiction.
Support, Don’t Enable
If you have a loved one, a friend or a colleague that is an alcoholic, then wanting to help is a natural impulse. However, there’s a fine line between helping an alcoholic and enabling one.
Helping and supporting means ensuring that an alcoholic gets access to the help they need. Enabling, on the other hand, might mean handing out money or covering up for the individual. It’s incredibly rare that giving an alcoholic money is actually helpful. More often than not, it only encourages addictive behavior and makes a commitment to professional treatment less likely.
Locate the Best Possible Treatment Program
If you truly want to know how to help an alcoholic, consider helping them locate a suitable treatment program. Even when a person struggling with alcoholism can acknowledge his or her addiction, finding treatment can be overwhelming. Helping narrow down the options and handle logistics can go a long way in aiding his or her recovery.
To help a friend or loved one find a rehab program, look for a few key things like program type and reviews. Ideally, the facility will offer a range of programs to accommodate the needs and schedules of patients. A few examples of program types in addiction treatment include:
- Outpatient programs
- Intensive outpatient
- Extended care
- Partial hospitalization programs
Be Willing to Participate in Family Therapy
On a personal level, it can mean a lot if you’re willing to get involved in the recovery programs. For family members, participating in group or family therapy can accomplish a lot and show support for loved ones.
During family or group therapy, participants will learn more about alcoholism and how to prevent relapse. This type of therapy is also a good way to share personal experiences with others going through a similar situation. In addition, it can be an important way to prevent alcoholism from spreading within a family.
How to Help an Alcoholic – For the Long Term
If you want to help an alcoholic achieve sobriety, enlist the help of professionals. At Crestview Recovery in Portland, Oregon, we offer a range of programs designed to tackle addiction once and for all. Call 866.262.0531 and begin the road to health, happiness, recovery and lifelong sobriety.
