It is remarkable to mention something that family members who have been harmfully affected by the alcoholism of another family member apparently do not know. It seems that by shielding the alcohol dependent person with falsehoods and dishonesty to those outside the family, these well-intentioned family members have in effect created a situation that makes it easier for the alcohol addicted person to carry on and press forward with his or her damaging, detrimental lifestyle.
Undeniably, rather than helping the alcohol addicted person and themselves, these family members have basically become enablers who have unintentionally helped worsen the alcoholic’s drinking problem even more.
The Likelihood of a Relapse is Real
Another key alcoholism issue has to do with alcohol relapses. Relapses take place when an alcohol dependent person has fruitfully undergone alcohol dependency rehabilitation and then returns to drinking a number of weeks or months later. At first thought, this circumstance seems contradictory to rational thinking and sounds so far-fetched that it forces one to question why anyone who has experienced the misery of alcohol addiction can return to drinking a short while after effective alcohol treatment and in turn after achieving recovery. There are, to be sure, many likely reasons for this.
It should be highlighted, nevertheless that alcohol addiction research that has focused on the long standing outcomes of alcohol addiction has shown that long after the alcohol dependent person has terminated his or her drinking, key transformations in the way in which the alcohol addicted individual’s brain functions are still present. As a consequence, all a recovering alcohol addicted person has to do to involve himself or herself in behaviors that correspond with the changes that have come about in the brain is to engage in drinking once again.
The Necessity for A Radical Lifestyle Transformation
There are additional reasons why quite a few recovering alcohol addicted persons return to drinking a few weeks or a few months after attaining sobriety. In accordance to the alcoholism research literature, to make a successful recovery, the alcohol addicted person 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 atmosphere or to the same geographic location; interacting once again with friends from the days when the alcohol addicted person was drinking excessively; or familiar songs, smells, or activities—all of these conditions can elicit memories that can set off psychological anxiety or push hot buttons that influence the recovering alcohol addicted person to engage in excessive drinking once again. Regrettably, all of these situations may not only work against long-term sobriety for the alcohol dependent individual but they can also result in relapse and consequently negate one’s sobriety.
Summary
In an attempt to “protect” the family alcohol addicted individual, family members can in point of fact cause unintended harm by enabling the unsafe drinking behavior of the alcohol addicted person.
The alcoholism research literature validates the fact that most people who effectively complete alcohol therapy go through at least one relapse. Alcohol dependent individuals and their family members need to know this so that they do not get defeated or overwhelmed when a relapse happens.
Luckily, taking part in support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous and follow-up therapy and education have resulted in more successful, long lasting alcohol abuse and alcoholism treatment results, have helped reduce alcohol relapses, and have helped recovering alcohol dependent persons accomplish long lasting alcohol recovery.
