Aiding a Loved One with Alcohol Addiction

If you see somebody you love fighting with an addiction to alcohol, helping them recover may be a touchy situation.  Seeing a family member suffer with alcoholism may be painful for both you and them, however recovery isn't only possible, however within reach provided you’re willing to help them along the way.

Believe it or not, alcohol is a really powerful drug.  While it subdues the central nervous system, it likewise makes people feel really relaxed which may lead to some pretty temperamental behavior.  Look for the following signs in a family member that might indicate they have an dependency on alcohol:

* Unreasonable pre-occupation with liquor
* Avoiding activities because they're drunk
* Not wanting to take part in functions that don’t have alcohol available
* Sneaking off for long time period* and then returning with glazed eyes or temperamental behavior
* Slurred words
* Excessively blood shot eyes
* Drinking large amounts of alcohol just so they may get the same feelings

A lot of individuals who have an addiction to alcohol will deny they have a issue.  As a individual who loves them, it’s up to you to help them recognize that their drinking is impacting not only their life and their health however that of those around them.  An intervention may be essential to help your family member realize that they are addicted to alcohol.

Helping a family member recover from alcoholism is a tall order – even for the most experienced individual.  It takes a lot of strength and a lot of tenacity to help your family member realize that they really need the help you're offering.

Recovery is a hard process, however it may be made simpler with the support and caring that can be supplied by family and friends.  When you are sincere in your effort to help, your loved one has the best chance of recovering from their addiction to alcohol.  Often, people with addictions feel alone and unloved.  Showing your support can make all the difference in a full recovery.

Your loved one’s addiction to alcohol did not happen overnight.  That means that recovery won’t happen overnight either.  It takes time, love, empathizing, and support.  The fact that you have concerns about this individual you care about is a huge step forward for them and for you.  When they know they have your unconditional support, they're more likely to step forward and seek recovery.

Helping a family member recover from alcoholism may be a painful process.  If you have a sincere desire to help them heal, you'll become an integral part of their recovery process.  Everybody needs support at some time in their life.  There’s never been a better time to offer YOUR support than helping them recover from an dependence on alcohol!

Meth Addiction and The Holidays; Part 2

The holiday is upon us. For many people who cope with a meth addict who is a loved one, this time of year can be very difficult. Here you will find some important tips on the subject of meth addiction and the holidays.


Think ahead about alcohol.
Alcohol is often a big part of family get togethers during the holidays. For a family with a meth addict struggling with an addiction, think seriously about whether to include alcohol as a part of the party. It might be too tempting for the addict struggling for the day to stay clean. For the meth addict who has promised himself that he will stay clean, the alcohol might lower his/her inhibition. Or, if he can’t find any other drugs, the meth addict may use alcohol as the drug of choice.

It may seem relaxing at the time, but the physiological effects will cause stress, depression or other substance-induced disorders. Try taking the family to a restaurant where alcohol is not served.

Ready the house.
Decide what areas of your home will be open to everyone. Decide what bathroom will be used. Put away easily removable items or hide valuables where they will be hard to find. Lock any rooms beforehand that you want people to stay out of.

Tell everybody about the private areas, and ask them to respect your privacy.

Use some positive statements and a little humor.
Humor is a powerful tool to make everyone feel comfortable and get rid of uncomfortable situations, but if used sarcastically, it can have a harmful effect. So, put everything you say in a positive way – look for the good in all and say it out loud. People will model positive behavior.

Learn to be flexible.
It’s recommended to have a schedule and to do your best to stick to it, but, stuff happens. The best way to deal with this is to roll with the punches and expect the unexpected. This helps with lowering expectations and setting realistic expectations.

Make the rules.
Make rules for appropriate behavior and forbid drug use and tell everyone. If there is anything that you don’t want brought up, let everyone know. This could be subjects you don’t want other relatives or family members bringing up with the addict that might set things off. Or, it might be subjects that you don’t want the meth addict to talk about. Make sure that all ‘heads of the house’ agree on how to handle this. If one of these topics comes up, remember silence is golden. Often the person who brings up a forbidden topic simply wants an argument. The other party who might be drawn into an argument has the option of either arguing or not. You can step in and ask the rules be respected.

If you decide to respond, do it with logic and fact, and not emotion. If you do get into an argument, take a break The bottom line: Set Your Limits and Stick To Them -- take care of your own wellbeing.

Meth Addiction and The Holidays; Part 1

The holiday season will soon be here. For many people who cope with the meth addiction of a loved one can be very hard. Here you will find some important info on the subject of meth addiction and the holidays.

Some people will get stressed because of remembering past holiday bad memories dealing with meth or an addict. Memories of times stained by bad happenings may come rushing back. For others, it may be the first time they have a holiday that includes an active addiction. This may cause the stress of not knowing what to be expecting.

As well, it’s important to remember that if you do not want to deal with an addicted family member or friend that it doesn’t make you a bad parent, family member or friend. This could mean rest for the family (peace of mind) and a gift to the addict in the form of a wakeup call.

If you do include them in your holiday festivities this season, here are a few tips:

Structure Is Vital
Don’t leave anything to chance. Plan ahead, make a schedule and stick to it. Set a time for guests to arrive, a time the holiday dinner will be served and set a time when the festivities will end. Plan the menu and do as much of it as early as you can.

Addicts can be serious control freaks even though they are not in control of their own lives. Addicts will unconsciously know this and try to control everyone else’s life. Inform the addict in advance when to come, when dinner is and what time you expect the day to end so you can get things put away and have some time to relax.

Set Priorities
Figure out what activities or traditions you want to include. Split your plans up into smaller jobs and do the most important ones first. Ask others to help and then let them do it.

Don’t Get Broadsided By Triggers
Be sure to understand the triggers that can happen when dealing with meth addiction and the holidays. Family relationships can be tumultuous even during ordinary times, but misunderstandings and conflict can get worse during the holidays. Siblings may argue, etc. Do what you can to think of triggers in advance and make a conscious effort to anticipate and diffuse them. An addict who has been absent due to his/her addiction can be especially uncomfortable and take offense at the slightest thing. They may want to show that they are loved by trying to prove a point. Thinking about those small things in advance can help when dealing with meth addiction and the holidays

Get Your Expectations In Order
Realize that nothing is ever going to be perfect. When dealing with meth addiction and the holidays, if you start out knowing that just having your loved one alive and with you is awesome, then all the other good things that happen is icing on the cake. Expect some anxiety, some things not turning out the way you want them to and you’ll be ahead of the game.

Get Real
As a family changes and grows, traditions should change as well. Some traditions may no longer be possible, or may need to be adjusted. Maybe it’s best to have everyone go out for the holiday dinner. If you’re concerned about violence, property damage or that something might get taken, go out for the meal. When dealing with meth addiction and the holidays there might be the fear that the addict going into the bathroom or elsewhere on the property to use.

This time of year can be a little unnerving if you are dealing with meth addiction and the holidays. We will explore more tips to have a less anxious holiday season when it includes an addict in the next part of this series.