How to help an alcoholic friend

Alcohol addiction is one of the most abundant and in turn normalized problems in our society. The consumption of this substance is part of our culture and it is difficult to detect when a person has alcoholism or simply drinks in social gatherings - although the two cases can occur simultaneously - this problem must be treated immediately and the most effective therapies used to avoid relapses.

In this Psychology-Online article, we will put ourselves in an external role and offer tips to know how to help an alcoholic friend, taking into account the multiple factors that can intervene in this phenomenon.

Index

1. How to Help an Alcoholic Who Doesn't Recognize You
2. Alcohol Problems: Solutions
3. How to treat an aggressive alcoholic
4. How to Help a Depressed Alcoholic

It is difficult to treat an alcoholic who does not want help, however, to try to understand alcoholism It is important to know that many of the people who suffer from it often deny it or cannot see the problem.

On many occasions, people with alcohol problems hide behind the excuse that they only drink when they go out, that they drink few amounts a day or that, simply, the next day they do not have discomfort or hangover. All these excuses are part of a Defense mechanism whose objective is to keep the person addicted to alcohol. To learn how to help an alcoholic friend, the first step is to get him to recognize her problem.

Consequences of alcoholism

If, once the problem is detected, our friend still does not want help, it is very important that he we offer as much information as possible about the serious consequences of dependence on the alcohol.

We highlight the following consequences of alcoholism:

• Serious liver damage that can lead to cirrhosis, fibrosis, and even hepatitis.
• It increases the risk of having cancer of the liver, lungs, colon, breast, esophagus ...
• Increases blood pressure and risk of heart attack
• It can cause sexual dysfunctions (impotence, loss of sex drive)
• Facilitates the appearance of mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety
• Causes social isolation and facilitates problem behavior

If after knowing these effects, our friend still does not want help, it is likely that he also has some type of psychological problem whose symptom is alcoholism - among others - in this case, it is important approach mental illness along with addiction.

Once the root of the problem has been detected, if we want to support our friend, it is important to suggest some type of psychological treatment. To do this, we have numerous therapeutic approaches that can provide an effective solution to this problem with alcohol.

Therapies for alcoholics

The alcoholism treatment can be approached from different points of view: medical, social, psychological... the most effective will always be the one that unites all the vital spheres of the person who is suffering this addiction. If we are looking for a way to know how to stop drinking alcohol for good, we must follow these tips:

• It is important to see a doctor to prescribe the appropriate medication for our friend.
• Group and individual therapies can be very effective, they offer the necessary tools so that the person with alcoholism can promote their self control and avoid resorting to drinking whenever a problem arises
• The social and family circle of the person (including us) must be informed at all times of the process that our friend is following
• In the case of presenting a serious level of alcoholism, it is recommended that our friend go to a center for rehabilitation so that you receive the appropriate treatment and avoid being exposed to stimuli that facilitate a relapse

There are many types of people who can develop some type of addiction to alcohol, however, we highlight two quite characteristic personality styles: sadness and aggressiveness.

In the latter case, an aggressive person with alcohol problems may use violence while under the influence of alcohol. To avoid being attacked, it is important approach the problem with tact and patience. Aggression not only manifests itself in alcoholic episodes, it can also appear in the event that we point out the problem and our friend feels attacked or judged.

In this type of case, an effective trick is to make the person who suffers from the addiction see the damage that it can cause to their loved ones, change must always arise from within, for that very reason, it is important to approach the problem patiently and from the consequences of its acts.

One of the consequences and at the same time causes of alcoholism is depression and other mood disorders. When a person has difficulty coping with life's challenges, he may turn to alcohol and other substance abuse. This behavior, in turn, facilitates the maintenance of depression. This phenomenon is known as dual pathology: an addiction and a mental disorder that feed back each other, making full recovery difficult.

To know how to help an alcoholic friend who have symptoms of depression, it is important to enlist the help of a professional and address the problem from a positive outlook, focused on the solution and on the rehabilitation. Being a case of dual pathology, psychological therapy and even psychiatric assistance will be essential.

This article is merely informative, in Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.

If you want to read more articles similar to How to help an alcoholic friend, we recommend that you enter our category of Addictions.