How to help a person with alcoholism? 13 keys

Alcohol consumption is a socially accepted phenomenon that in fact has been part of a large number of cultures since ancient times. However, many people engage in excessive and prolonged alcohol consumption over time and end up becoming dependent on this substance: we are talking about dependence on alcohol or alcoholism.

This situation has serious repercussions for the subject, being able to generate serious health problems or even lead to death. It is about something dramatic that many families observe in one of their members, not knowing how to act. How to help an alcoholic? In this article we are going to discuss a series of general guidelines that family and friends may find relevant and useful in addressing the issue.

• Related article: "Alcoholism: these are the effects of drink dependency"

Remembering concepts: what is alcoholism?

Alcoholism is considered addiction to alcohol, that is, the acquisition of both physical and psychological dependence on the consumption of spirituous beverages

that is generated due to the acquisition of tolerance towards its consumption. The body needs larger amounts of substance to notice the same effects, while its absence generates powerful withdrawal symptoms, now including dysphoria, agitation, seizures, and other types of disturbance. It is consumed in such a way that a large amount of time is invested in obtaining alcohol or other relevant activities or areas of life are neglected or impaired.

We are facing a situation in which the subject loses control over consumption, this being much greater than what is expected. intended and being carried out despite the knowledge of possible aversive consequences for both him and his around. However, there is often a desire to stop using and one or more attempts may have been made to do so (unsuccessful). Despite this, they often deny the existence of a dependency.

Uncontrolled and frequent consumption of alcohol can have dramatic consequences, being able to generate liver cirrhosis, fatty liver or even kidney dysfunction. The damage to these organs can be irreversible and lead to the need for a transplant or even death due to the destruction of said tissues. The alcoholic is frequently intoxicated, the presence of blackouts and loss of consciousness being common. In some cases the subject can reach an ethylic coma or even death from cardiorespiratory arrest.

Behavior is also altered, ranging from aggressiveness to extreme passivity, and it is not unusual for risky behaviors to be carried out while intoxicated. Socially they can suffer the abandonment of their environment or generate great suffering to those around them.

• You may be interested in: "The 8 signs of alcohol addiction"

Helping an alcoholic: some basic guidelines

Families and close environment do not usually know what to do to deal with the problem, often blaming the subject or pretending not to know or justifying her behavior. But such behaviors do not help the patient but can actually complicate her condition. That is why we will now review some guidelines to help an alcoholic, both to make him see his problem and to facilitate its solution.

1. The environment must recognize the problem

First of all, although it may seem logical, the first step to take into account is not justifying or ignoring the behavior and excessive consumption of the subject with alcoholism. The subject who suffers from this disorder or disease (not vice, something important to take into account) performs an alcohol consumption that is dangerous and that has a great number of consequences in the short and long term term. This fact, as well as that it is a disease or disorder and not something that the subject does to do and over which he has total control, must be understood and understood by his close environment.

It is important to keep this point in mind, whether the subject is able to identify and recognize her problem or if he is unaware of it.

2. Make the approach to the subject in a moment of sobriety

An aspect also apparently logical, but that can be difficult to take into account when the subject arrives drunk and with an irrational behavior, is to deal with the issue at a time when he is sober. Discussing the subject while intoxicated will not have the same effect., since the subject is not in a position to reflect, being able to easily forget what has been said or even an aggressive response on his part is possible.

3. Take a position of helping and not blaming

It can be simple that the frustration and pain caused by the state of our friend, partner, family member or being loved one, or his behavior or perceptible lack of intent to change lead us to blame him for the situation. This fact does not help the subject, but can generate reactance and the existence of conflicts that in some cases can even push the affected person to drink more to avoid discomfort.

It is not about pretending that nothing happens, but about address the issue directly but adopting an empathetic attitude that allows approaching the subject in a proactive and collaborative way. It is also important to keep in mind that you should not be condescending or start from a position of superiority, something that will also generate reactance.

4. watch how you communicate

Linked to the previous point, we must bear in mind that we are facing a very complex situation. It is necessary that we can express our feelings regarding the situation that our loved one is experiencing, being useful that we include ourselves in the sentences.

Concern, if it exists, should be expressed and it is often helpful to mention some of the behaviors that you find concerning. Express yourself with empathy and try to seek dialogue, asking why some behaviors are not excessively demanding.

5. maintain some degree of control

The subject with alcoholism is someone with profound difficulties in controlling alcohol intake, this loss of control being the most defining aspect of this disorder. Although it is not a question of exercising continuous control of each gesture you make, it is advisable to maintain some control over your situation. One of the ways to do this is through money management., in such a way that you can control the amount that the subject carries and what is spent, and even on what depending on how. It is true that the person can obtain money from other sources or even be invited, but this procedure is very useful and limits the possible purchase of alcohol.

6. Avoid exposure to stimuli that trigger the drinking response

Human beings are used to doing certain things in certain places. Although it is possible to drink anywhere, prevent the alcoholic person from being exposed to situations or environments that facilitate consumption it is very useful. For example, bars, discos or parties are environments where the consumption of alcoholic beverages is common.

Also, don't drink in front of her either. This would make the subject think of alcohol and at the same time send a contradictory message: I want you to stop drinking but I do drink.

7. Take into account the possible role we play in addiction

Generally when we talk about alcoholism we tend to think of the subject in question as the one who has the problem. However, sometimes the environment itself favors or has some kind of role that makes it easier for the subject to resort to consumption. We have an example in the aforementioned blaming, in situations of abuse or abandonment or even in excessive paternalism.

8. go to professionals

Alcoholism is a serious condition, a chronic disorder whose existence can endanger the life of the sufferer. That is why it is essential to go to some type of professional in order to treat the different elements that condition and maintain alcohol consumption. In extreme cases, it can be very useful to go to a detoxification center (in some cases It could even be required at the judicial level, although it is advisable to make them understand the need to go).

In this sense, it is advisable to take an interest in and actively participate in therapy, in such a way that one learns to relate to the patient. subject and with the symptom and action guidelines are acquired in addition to providing social support to get out of a situation that, at least, hard. It is also very useful in order to make the subject reflect and motivate for change.

9. Support their progress

Simply recognizing alcoholism is already a very difficult step for someone with this disorder. AND the process of ceasing consumption is long (important: it should not be stopped suddenly unless there is medical monitoring due to the possible appearance of syndromes of potentially fatal withdrawal, such as delirium tremens) and complex, having to treat different aspects, both behavioral and cognitive. Social and environmental support is a good prognostic factor and a stimulus to progress in treatment.

10. Encourage him to attend support groups

Alcoholics Anonymous is an association created with the purpose of serving as a support group in order to solve problems of alcoholism and generate a recovery, at the same time that it allows that the subject meets others who have gone through the same situation. In these meetings the person will be able to freely express those elements and aspects that he does not want or can tell us about his experience and contrast his experience with that of others.

12. Pleasant activities incompatible with drinking

One way to help a loved one to stop drinking, or to maintain the changes with treatment, is to explore and use with his or her activities that are pleasant and that are not compatible with the consumption of alcohol. It is about learning to have fun without needing to be drunk.

13. relapse prevention

This is a fundamental aspect in all addictions. Treatment can be successful, but the existence of different stressors or situations can lead to a relapse into alcoholism. That is why, as is already done in therapy, we take into account the need to work on its prevention with elements such as those of the two previous points.

And from therapy?

The aforementioned refers to ways to help the alcoholic from the family or amical context, being the support towards the withdrawal of alcohol one of the most important elements to maintain and generate the perception and motivation for the change. But also in psychological therapy different methods are used to help the alcoholic to stop drinking alcohol, in addition to control the craving or craving for consumption. In fact, it's important to be able to attend therapy, given how much is at stake.

Roughly, therapy focuses first on gaining awareness of the problem in cases where this does not exist, to subsequently make people reflect on the pros and cons of drinking behavior, reinforce the motivation to change and act through various technical programs (including the community reinforcement approach, marital and couples therapy, cue exposure therapy with response prevention, contingency management, training in coping and social skills, controlled drinking programs) and finally maintain these changes with prevention programs relapses.

During the treatment, techniques from very different theoretical aspects can be used, the most common being cognitive-behavioural, systemic and humanistic. It is also common for substances such as disulfiram to be used during treatment., which generates unpleasant effects on the body by interacting with alcohol in such a way that its consumption acquires an aversive red color.