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It is worthy of note to articulate something that family members who have been adversely affected by the alcohol dependency of another family member plainly do not understand. It seems to be that by protecting the alcohol addicted individual with lies and deceitfulness to those outside the family, these well-intentioned family members have essentially created a situation that makes it easier for the alcohol dependent person to carry on and move forward with his or her damaging, destructive existence.
In fact, instead of helping the alcohol dependent individual and themselves, these family members have in reality become enablers who have involuntarily helped deteriorate the alcohol dependent individual’s drinking problem even further.
Perhaps the real downside of this is that the alcohol dependent person will continue drinking in a hazardous manner and go through diverse “alcohol side effects.” Some of these side effects include poor health, deteriorating relationships, considerable financial problems, employment difficulties, legal issues (such as getting arrested for one or more DUIs), and diminished mental functioning.
Relapses Can and Do Transpire
According to the research findings and statistics on alcohol dependency, another key alcoholism issue has to do with alcohol relapses. Relapses take place when an alcohol dependent person has successfully undergone alcohol addiction rehabilitation and then resorts to drinking a number of weeks or months later. At first thought, this predicament flies in the face of sound thinking and seems so unbelievable that it forces one to speculate why anyone who has experienced the misery of alcoholism can return to drinking a short while after effective alcohol counseling and in turn after achieving recovery. There are, without a doubt, many possible reasons for this.
It should be explained, on the other hand that alcohol dependency research that has focused on the long standing outcomes of alcoholism has demonstrated-proven that long after the alcohol addicted person has stopped his or her drinking, critical transformations in the way in which the alcohol addicted individual’s brain works are still present. As a result, all a recovering alcoholic has to do to involve himself or herself in behaviors that correspond with the alterations that have occurred in the brain is to begin drinking once again.
A Requirement for A Drastic Lifestyle Change
There are other reasons why more than a few recovering alcohol addicted individuals return to drinking a few weeks or a few months after reaching sobriety. In accordance to the alcoholism research literature, to make an effective recovery, the alcoholic needs new ways of acting and thinking in order to deal more successfully with tough alcohol-related situations that will take place.
Conditions such as returning to the same alcohol addictive environment or to the same geographic location; interacting once again with friends from the days when the alcohol dependent person was drinking abusively; or familiar songs, smells, or activities—all of these circumstances can bring about memories that can trigger psychological tension or push hot buttons that influence the recovering alcohol addicted person to engage in hazardous drinking once again. Regrettably, all of these circumstances may not only contradict long-term sobriety for the alcoholic but they can also result in relapse and consequently go against one’s sobriety.
The Good News: Quality Help is Readily Available
In an attempt to “protect” the family alcohol dependent individual, family members can in fact cause unintended destruction by enabling the harmful drinking behavior of the alcoholic.
The alcoholism research literature validates the fact that most people who effectively complete alcohol rehab go through at least one relapse. Alcohol dependent individuals and their family members need to know this so that they do not get crestfallen or stressed out when a relapse takes place.
Fortunately, participation in support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous and follow-up treatment and training have resulted in more effective, long lasting alcohol abuse and alcoholism rehab outcomes, have helped diminish alcohol relapses, and have helped recovering alcohol addicted individuals attain long lasting sobriety.
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