How to Help an Alcoholic

Most people want to help those that they care about. However, knowing how to help an alcoholic isn’t easy or straightforward. Sometimes, help looks a lot like enabling. Learning what it takes to help an alcoholic loved one get on the road to recovery can be beneficial for all involved. At San Antonio Recovery Center, we offer comprehensive treatment at our alcohol rehab center where individuals in need and those who love them can learn more about recovery.

Learn to Spot the Signs of Alcoholism

One of the most important ways that you can help a person struggling with alcoholism is by understanding addiction. One of the first steps is being able to spot the most common signs of alcohol addiction, which can include:

Inability to stop drinking, stop after one drink, or cut back
Withdrawal symptoms if alcohol consumption is skipped or reduced
Increased tolerance for alcohol
Health problems resulting from alcohol consumption
Legal issues resulting from alcohol
Inability to hold down a job
Relationship problems with friends, family, and loved ones

In addition to understanding what alcoholism looks like, it’s important to know what alcoholism actually is. Addiction is a disease, not a choice or a flaw. Therefore, alcoholics can’t simply choose to get better, no matter how much they may want to.

Verbalize Your Ongoing Support

A key element of helping an alcoholic is providing ample support. Alcoholics often feel emotions like shame, regret, and isolation because of their drinking. They may be embarrassed by their illness and feel like they have nowhere to turn. Unfortunately, this can often make the addiction worse.

For this reason, it’s vital that you verbally show your support. This could be as simple as saying that you love them, that you care about them, or that you’re willing to help them do whatever they need to do to get sober.

Encourage Them to Seek Treatment

When you care about someone, you don’t want to see them continue down a dangerous path without encouraging them to move in a new direction. If you support an alcoholic but don’t encourage them to go into treatment, you may be enabling their addiction.

Whenever possible, discuss addiction treatment with your loved one. Explore the best route to recovery, and explain that you only want the best for them. All of this can be done in an encouraging rather than in a confrontational way in most cases.

Substance Addictions Treated At San Antonio Recovery Center

At San Antonio Recovery Center, we treat a wide variety of substances. No matter what substance you’ve abused, we’re ready to help you start your road to recovery. From alcohol to cocaine to prescription drugs, San Antonio Recovery Center has the treatment you need to succeed. Substance addictions treated at San Antonio Recovery Center include but aren’t limited to: