Make Love Work

It is remarkable to mention something that family members who have been adversely affected by the alcoholism of another family member obviously do not realize. It seems that by protecting the alcohol dependent person with untruths and dishonesty to those outside the family, these well-intentioned family members have in essence created a situation that makes it easier for the alcohol addicted individual to continue and move forward with his or her negative, detrimental style of life.

Clearly, instead of helping the alcohol dependent individual and themselves, these family members have in fact become enablers who have involuntarily helped negatively affect the alcohol dependent person’s drinking problem even more.

Perhaps the real downside of this is that the alcoholic will continue drinking in an abusive and excessive manner and experience a variety of “alcohol side effects.” Some of these side effects include deteriorating relationships, employment difficulties, ill health, diminished mental functioning, serious financial problems, and legal issues (such as getting arrested for one or more DWIs).

The Chances of a Relapse are Real

According to the research findings and statistics on alcohol dependency, another key alcoholism issue involves alcohol relapses. Relapses take place when an alcohol addicted individual has effectively undergone alcohol dependency rehab and then returns to drinking a number of weeks or months later. At first thought, this circumstance flies in the face of rational thinking and seems so improbable that it forces one to wonder why anyone who has gone through the awfulness of alcoholism can return to drinking a short while after effective alcohol rehabilitation and in turn after attaining recovery. There are, for sure, numerous likely reasons for this.

It should be noted, nevertheless that alcoholism research that has focused on the lasting consequences of alcohol addiction has demonstrated-proven that long after the alcoholic has halted his or her drinking, critical modifications in the way in which the alcoholic’s brain operates are still present. As a result, all a recovering alcoholic has to do to involve himself or herself in actions that correspond with the changes that have come about in the brain is to start drinking once again.

The Necessity for A Significant Lifestyle Transformation

There are additional reasons why several recovering alcohol addicted persons return to drinking a few weeks or a few months after reaching sobriety. In accordance to the alcohol dependency research literature, to make an effective recovery, the alcohol addicted individual needs new ways of reacting and thinking in order to deal more effectively with taxing alcohol-related situations that will take place.

Circumstances such as returning to the same alcohol addictive environment or to the same geographic location; interacting once again with friends from the time when the alcoholic was drinking in a hazardous manner; or familiar songs, smells, or activities—all of these circumstances can bring about memories that can trigger psychological stress or push hot buttons that influence the recovering alcoholic to engage in excessive drinking once again. Unfortunately, all of these circumstances may not only work against long-term alcohol recovery for the alcoholic but they can also result in relapse and thus cancel out one’s sobriety.

The Good News: There’s Light at the End of the Tunnel

In an attempt to “protect” the family’s alcohol dependent person, family members can essentially cause inadvertent damage by enabling the harmful drinking behavior of the alcohol dependent person.

The addiction research literature validates the fact that most people who effectively complete alcohol treatment experience at least one relapse. Alcohol addicted persons and their family members need to know this so that they do not get crestfallen or overwhelmed when a relapse takes place.

Luckily, participation in support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous and follow-up treatment and education have resulted in more productive, long standing alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction rehab outcomes, have helped decrease alcohol relapses, and have helped recovering alcoholics attain long standing alcohol recovery.

Tags: health and fitness, relationships, self improvement, teenage alcohol abuse

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