How to Support an Alcoholic

Alcoholism is one of the hardest addictions to deal with, simply because alcohol is so easy to access, use, and hide. For the alcoholic, it isn’t even about getting drunk, but about getting to a level where they feel like they can handle life from moment to moment, even if that means going through it with blurred vision. Orange County rehab centers offer some great tools for alcoholics and their loved ones, but there is still a lot that needs to be done at home by the alcoholic, as well as his or her support system.

Avoid Temptation

Don’t bring alcohol to the table, either literally or figuratively. If you loved cake, but learned that you were a serious diabetic, would you want to see cake at dinner? Would you want to hear about how everyone enjoyed that day’s slice of cake? For an alcoholic, that next drink is just as dangerous as a plate full of red velvet dessert is to a diabetic.

• Avoid drinking in front of an alcoholic.
• Avoid talking about your experience at parties or bars.
• Avoid bringing alcohol into the house.
• Don’t come around an alcoholic after you have had a drink or two.

These measures may seem extreme, especially since you aren’t the one who is an alcoholic, but every one of them can be triggers for someone who is addicted. The fewer triggers they have to manage, the better their chances of success with sobriety.

Learn Signs of Relapse

Everyone has certain routines they follow, and this is especially true of addicts. They are so used to doing things a certain way in order to meet the end goal of feeding the addiction, that it becomes almost impossible to change the pattern. What does your loved one do before they have a drink? When you notice these signs, try to distract them and, if need be, confront them. He or she is going to get angry because they have been “caught,” but it’s important for them to know you are serious about sobriety.

Develop New Routines

If you have ever tried to quit anything, you know how important it is to change routines. Habits become triggers rather quickly. For example, if you normally drive by his or her favorite bar on the way to the store, find a different route.

To learn more about how you can support an addict on a journey of sobriety, call Yellowstone Recovery today at 1-888-897-1455.