Alcohol Relapse and When Helping the Alcoholic Becomes Harmful

It is worthy of note to point out something that family members who have been unfavorably affected by the alcoholism of another family member clearly do not know. It seems that by shielding the alcohol addicted person with lies and deceit to those outside the family, these well-intentioned family members have in actual fact created a situation that makes it easier for the alcohol dependent individual to persevere and go forward with his or her injurious, destructive way of living.

Without a doubt, instead of helping the alcohol dependent person and themselves, these family members have in reality become enablers who have involuntarily helped worsen the alcohol addicted person’s drinking problem even further.

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

Relapses Can and Do Occur

According to the research literature and statistics on alcohol addiction, another key alcohol addiction issue concerns alcohol relapses. Relapses take place when an alcohol dependent individual has successfully gone through alcoholism therapy and then returns to drinking a number of weeks or months later. At first glance, this circumstance seems contradictory to logical thinking and seems so improbable that it forces one to question why anyone who has gone through the wretchedness of alcoholism can return to drinking a short while after effective alcohol rehab and in turn after achieving sobriety. There are, of course, more than a few credible reasons for this.

It should be mentioned, nonetheless that alcohol addiction research that has focused on the long-term outcomes of alcohol dependency has demonstrated-proven that long after the alcohol dependent individual has terminated his or her drinking, fundamental changes in the way in which the alcohol addicted individual’s brain works are still present. As a consequence, all a recovering alcohol dependent person has to do to involve himself or herself in actions that correspond with the modifications that have taken place in the brain is to engage in drinking again.

The Need for A Critical Lifestyle Change

There are additional reasons why numerous recovering alcoholics return to drinking a few weeks or a few months after achieving 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 addicted person was drinking abusively; or familiar songs, smells, or activities—all of these circumstances can elicit memories that can set off psychological tension or push hot buttons that influence the recovering alcohol dependent person to engage in abusive drinking once again. Regrettably, all of these situations may not only negate long-term alcohol recovery for the alcohol dependent person but they can also lead to relapse and consequently work against one’s alcohol recovery.

The Good News: There’s a Lot of Hope for Lasting Sobriety

In an attempt to “protect” the family alcohol dependent person, family members can in point of fact cause unplanned damage by enabling the unsafe drinking behavior of the alcoholic.

The addiction research literature confirms the fact that most individuals who effectively complete alcohol rehabilitation go through at least one relapse. Alcohol addicted individuals and their family members need to know this so that they do not get depressed or stressed out when a relapse happens.

Happily, participation in support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous and follow-up rehab and education have resulted in more successful, enduring alcohol abuse and alcoholism therapeutic results, have helped reduce alcohol relapses, and have helped recovering alcohol dependent persons reach long standing alcohol recovery.