Watching a friend or family member suffering from alcoholism can be very hard. You may wonder what you can do yourself to change the situation for them. However, the person might not even want your help. The first thing that would come to mind is alcohol rehab, but there are some other steps that you can take before this. You need to first begin to talk about it with them.
How do I talk to someone about their alcohol addiction?
Firstly, learn about alcohol addiction.
Before you do anything else, it is very important to learn about alcohol addiction, and then know whether the person you care about is suffering from this. Alcoholism is more than just too much here and there. Alcohol is used as a coping mechanism or social habit sometimes, which isn’t always the same as addiction. People who suffer never drink in moderation. Learn the telltale signs.
Secondly, practice what you will say.
Make sure to tell the person that you care for them, and that you are always there for them. Make positive statements that are supportive. Avoid saying anything negative or hurtful as they will get defensive and you may regret it later.
Using statements which include ‘I’ reduces the tone of accusation in the conversation, and lets you be active in the discussion. You could mention when alcohol caused something unwanted, such as bad behaviour or money issues. You could say something such as “I love you a lot, and really care for you. I am concerned about your alcohol consumption and how it could be affecting your health.”
Prepare for every response so that you don’t act negatively in the moment.
Pick the best time and place to say it.
Think about when you’ll be in a safe and private space to be having such a conversation. You’ll want to be free of any disruptions so that you have full attention. Make sure that the person you are trying to talk to isn’t upset about anything else at this point. Most importantly, this person needs to be sober to understand what is happening.
Listen honestly to how they react, and treat them with compassion, they didn’t choose to be addicted to alcohol. Don’t take an angry response personally.
Offer your support.
Realise that you can’t actually force someone to accept treatment. All you can do is help them and see if they will take it. Imagine if you were in this situation and how you would feel.
You might want to see if any other family members want to help too. This depends on how private the person wants to be.
