If you have a loved one who is addicted to alcohol, then you have probably spent a lot of time thinking about the situation.
You want to help, but you are not sure about the best way of doing so.
The following article is intended to help you learn how to approach your loved one. To help them through addiction recovery, it will require a lot of love, understanding, and planning.
Step 1:
Learn about the nature of alcohol addiction.
Before you can be of help, you must determine whether your loved one has a true addiction to alcohol. Alcoholism means something more than drinking too much from time to time. You must educate yourself about alcoholism and its symptoms.
There is a lot of information available on the internet about alcoholism. You should consult it to determine how you can be of help.
Step 2:
Rehearse what you need to say to your loved one.
You need to find a way to let your loved one know that you care about them, and that you are looking out for their best interests. You should attempt to formulate positive and supportive ways of speaking to them. Try to stop yourself from being negative or hurtful.
You should frame your statements around the word “I” rather than the word “you.” This will let them know that you are not accusing them of anything. Make certain to tell them that you love them, and that you are concerned about the consequences of their drinking.
Try to figure out the different possible responses from your loved one so that you can remain calm no matter what they say. You must be able to show that you respect them and their thoughts.
Step 3:
Choose the proper time and place.
To ensure that your talk is accepted the right way, pick a time when you know that your loved one has not been drinking. If they have been drinking, then they might be combative or irrational.
You also need to have this conversation in private. This will prevent any potential embarrassment and will ensure that you get their full focus and attention. For this reason, you will want to select a time when your loved one is not preoccupied with other matters. You want them to be as focused and lucid as possible.
Step 4:
Engage your loved one with honesty and compassion.
You should not beat around the bush with respect to the problem. People appreciate it when you are open and honest with them.
Communicate to them that they are drinking too much, and that you are concerned about the consequences of their habit. Let them know that you care, and that you want to support them through this process.
You should be prepared to receive a negative response from your loved one. Resistance is a more probable response than anything else. You may be faced with denial or anger. Try to not take it as a personal attack.
Step 5:
Commit yourself to supporting your loved one.
You need to recognize that you can’t compel someone to get help for their problem. The most that you can do is to offer your aid and be supportive. Try to put yourself in the place of your loved one. You can imagine how difficult it must be for them.
Your loved one may make some feeble commitment to achieving addiction recovery on their own. You should urge them to seek professional help. Assure them that this is the way that they will have the greatest possible success.
Step 6:
Intervene.
You should attempt to intervene in a more elaborate way than simply approaching your loved one. An intervention means that you plan a meeting with them to explore the whole situation.
An intervention may involve confronting your loved one with a professional and other people who are close to them or are important in their life.
Conclusion
Alcoholic help strategies can be complicated and involve a lot of planning and effort. However, you must remember that the essence of a successful approach to your loved one involves love and a non-judgemental attitude.
