Alcoholism is a significant issue, one that can deeply affect not just the people struggling with it but also their partners, spouses, children, and parents. It can be difficult to manage living with an alcoholic because it can result in adverse effects like:
- Guilt
- Shame
- Fear
- Grief
- Anger
- Isolation
Financial struggles and emotional violence can be compounded by the development of depression, anxiety, and poor self-esteem that surround those who live with an alcoholic. If you have a family member who is struggling with alcoholism, stop the disruption and disharmony by finding treatment at an alcohol treatment center.
Living with an Alcoholic
Living with an alcoholic brings with it several issues.
Firstly, if you are living with someone who is struggling with alcohol abuse, their dependence on alcohol can mean that they ignore the needs and situations of any other family member. As a spouse or child, this can mean that your needs go unnoticed, leading to feelings of depression, anxiety, and isolation.
Secondly, living with an alcoholic means that not every member of the family assumes their roles and responsibilities. Functions that your partner or parent might usually carry out can fall to you. This can exacerbate the suffering you struggle with, especially the emotional and mental distress. If you are the child of a parent who is struggling with alcoholism, this can have a lasting impact on your development and the relationships you are able to maintain as an adult.
Thirdly, when you live with someone who is an alcoholic, it can be difficult to know:
- How to help
- When to help
- What to say
- When to say something
- How to support them
- Whether it is a real issue
- Whether you are enabling
As a family member, if you are constantly worried because you don’t know whether to bring attention to your loved one’s alcoholism, or you have brought attention to it, but nothing has changed, this can lead to negative emotional states like grief, shame, guilt, or anger.
If you are living with someone who is displaying emotional or physical violence, it’s natural to develop fear. If you are living with someone who isn’t fulfilling their expected responsibilities within the family, it can cause anger and isolation.
Getting Help for Loved Ones with Alcoholism
If you are living with an alcoholic, don’t wait for things to get worse before you reach out for help. There are resources that are available to you, starting with support groups. Alcoholics Anonymous offers support groups for family members living with an alcoholic. These might be a stepping stone for you as you learn personal coping mechanisms and ways to improve your communication.
You can also consider steps like holding an intervention with a specialist who can help you communicate the ways in which alcoholism impacts the whole family. Whether you plan an intervention or you simply decide to speak to your loved one about their alcoholism, the best thing you can do is have a treatment center ready to recommend if they are in a position to willingly accept help.
Alcohol Treatment at Sequoia Recovery Centersss
If you are looking for a facility that will give your loved one the help they need, Sequoia Recovery Centersss can help.
Our drug and alcohol detox center in Spokane, WA, offers a full range of treatment services for those in need, so if you are living with an alcoholic and are looking for a program that offers a step-down approach to treatment, we can help.
Our patients can start with medical detox. Alcohol detox can be dangerous and risk serious complications like seizures, delirium tremens, and worse if not treated at a professional clinic. Those who receive help from our facility will be under supervision throughout their detox and, when they are ready, can transition to the next level of care.
If you are living with an alcoholic, we understand how important it is for you to be a part of the treatment program and to participate in programs such as family therapy, which is why all of our programs offer several types of therapy, including access to support groups and aftercare services in the local area for families of alcoholics.
If you are living with an alcoholic, it can be a lot to manage, especially if you are also trying to take care of the household and the other family members in it. But there are resources available to you that will provide your loved one with the help they need.
Contact our team today to learn how Sequoia Recovery Centersss can help your loved one overcome alcoholism.
