It is worthy of note to mention something that family members who have been harmfully affected by the alcoholism of another family member obviously do not know. It seems to be that by protecting the alcoholic with untruths and deceitfulness to those outside the family, these well-intentioned family members have in reality created a situation that makes it easier for the alcohol dependent individual to persist and press forward with his or her hurtful, detrimental way of living.
Without a doubt, instead of helping the alcohol addicted person and themselves, these family members have in fact become enablers who have inadvertently helped worsen the alcohol addicted person’s drinking problem even further.
The Possibility of a Relapse is Real
Another key alcohol addiction issue has to do with alcohol relapses. Relapses take place when an alcoholic has successfully gone through alcohol dependency treatment and then resorts to drinking a number of weeks or months later. At first glance, this circumstance flies in the face of rational thinking and looks so far-fetched that it forces a person to speculate why anyone who has gone through the dreadfulness of alcoholism can return to drinking a short while after successful alcohol treatment and in turn after attaining sobriety. There are, of course, many credible reasons for this.
It should be highlighted, conversely that alcohol addiction research that has centered on the lasting outcomes of alcohol addiction has revealed that long after the alcohol dependent person has terminated his or her drinking, key changes in the way in which the alcohol dependent individual’s brain works are still present. As a consequence, all a recovering alcoholic has to do to involve himself or herself in behaviors that correspond with the changes that have occurred in the brain is to begin drinking once again.
A Requirement for A Major Lifestyle Modification
There are even more reasons why many recovering alcohol dependent persons return to drinking a few weeks or a few months after achieving sobriety. According to the alcohol dependency research literature, to make an effective recovery, the alcohol addicted individual needs new ways of responding and thinking in order to deal more efficiently with demanding alcohol-related situations that will take place.
Situations such as returning to the same alcohol addictive environment or to the same geographic location; interacting once again with friends from the time when the alcohol addicted person was drinking abusively; or familiar songs, smells, or activities—all of these circumstances can bring forth memories that can trigger psychological stress or push hot buttons that influence the recovering alcohol addicted individual to engage in hazardous drinking once again. Sadly, all of these circumstances may not only negate long-term alcohol recovery for the alcoholic but they can also result in relapse and as a result work against one’s sobriety.
Summary
In an attempt to “protect” the family alcohol dependent individual, family members can in fact cause inadvertent 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 rehab go through at least one relapse. Alcohol addicted individuals and their family members need to know this so that they do not get down in the dumps or beleaguered when a relapse takes place.
Happily, involvement in support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous and follow-up treatment and training have resulted in more successful, lasting alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency therapeutic results, have helped diminish alcohol relapses, and have helped recovering alcohol addicted persons accomplish long lasting sobriety.
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