Being close to someone addicted to alcohol can bring an immense amount of stress into your life. A lot of emotions — frustration, sadness, bitterness and more — may whirl through your mind. If you’re going to engage someone who’s been drinking and shown flashes of violence, don’t do it alone. Bring someone you can trust with you, advises Dr. Anand.

Understanding alcohol addiction

Caring about someone with an alcohol addiction can lead to worry and sleepless nights. You might spend a lot of time thinking about your actions as it relates to their addiction, says Dr. Anand. Sometimes, this high level of support, like dropping everything to help, results in an unhealthy relationship pattern called codependency.

1. Millions of readers rely on HelpGuide.org for free, evidence-based resources to understand and navigate mental health challenges.
2. It’s also important to address your family’s own needs at this time.
3. When you live with a spouse who has an alcohol use disorder, taking care of yourself is important.
4. The impact of an AUD isn’t always limited to the one suffering from this chronic medical condition.
5. The person may be in denial, and they may even react angrily to your attempts.

You are not responsible for your loved one’s disorder. By Buddy TBuddy T is a writer and stages of alcoholic recovery founding member of the Online Al-Anon Outreach Committee with decades of experience writing about alcoholism. Because he is a member of a support group that stresses the importance of anonymity at the public level, he does not use his photograph or his real name on this website. Natural consequences may mean that you refuse to spend any time with the person dependent on alcohol. If family members try to «help» by covering up for their drinking and making excuses for them, they are playing right into their loved one’s denial game.

Don’t become codependent

The person may be in denial, and they may even react angrily to your attempts. Give them time and space to make an honest decision, and listen to what they have to say. If you know someone who has successfully quit drinking, speak with them. Ask them how they finally came to terms with their problem and how they were initially approached.

When determining if the person you live with has a drinking problem, consider the big picture. If you know they drink a lot and/or drink frequently and they have at least a few of these symptoms, chances are there is a problem with alcohol. Children of alcoholics tend to find many aspects of their lives challenging well into adulthood. They also have a higher risk of developing AUD or other substance use disorders themselves. A relationship with someone with an alcohol addiction is rarely fulfilling. Having boundaries addiction recovery art avoids co-dependency and sets limits for your loved one.

Find resources and support

Urge the person to get into a formal treatment program. Ask for concrete commitments and then follow up on them. Intoxication can also present other how long does molly stay in your hair unpredictable events, including physical dangers. When under the influence, your loved one may become angry and lash out.

Tools & Resources

Teens today experiment with alcohol earlier and more often than ever before. They’re more likely to binge drink and more vulnerable to developing an alcohol use disorder than adults. This may be because the pleasure center of a teen’s brain matures before their capacity to make sound decisions. The best treatment option for your loved one depends largely on the depth of their drinking problem, the stability of their living situation, and any other health issues they may be facing. Once your loved one has identified their potential triggers, learning how to avoid them is an important part of relapse prevention. Alateen is similar to Al-Anon but it’s for children of alcoholics.

Of course, what works for one person will not necessarily work for everyone. However, if you think their experience sounds similar to that of your loved one, ask them if they’d be willing to talk to that person for you. Sometimes information and concern coming from someone who has been through recovery mean more than when they come from someone who has not.