Avoid Direct Confrontation – To keep the alcoholic from getting too defensive, place the emphasis on your own feelings and concerns, rather than telling them how they should be living. Once drinking starts to become problematic, the individual can no longer control their overall alcohol use. If this is true for someone you know, you may not be quite sure how to deal with the situation. It is imperative to master the rather difficult task of figuring out what to say when it comes to confronting an alcoholic.

As a family member of the loved one struggling with alcoholism, it is crucial to be aware of different physical and behavioral signs of the person. Confronting alcoholics isn’t an easy process, but it can be mastered efficiently. There are varying signs to be aware of for each change. It can be helpful to write a letter to the person struggling with alcohol addiction.

Our treatment facilities are staffed by credentialed addiction professionals who recognize addiction as a medical condition and believe that anyone can recover with quality, evidence-based treatment. They are prepared to provide you with an individualized treatment plan that meets your unique needs and addressesco-occurring mental health conditionslike depression. When confronting a person with an alcohol addiction, it’s important to be direct. Tiptoeing around your concerns or dropping hints isn’t likely to work, as it may lead the person to believe you aren’t serious. Be clear that you’re concerned and would like them to seek treatment. Coming into the conversation with solutions in mind shows the person with the alcohol use disorder that you have put thought into the matter and are prepared to offer help and support.

Help your loved one plan how they’re going to avoid triggers to drink, deal with alcohol cravings, and cope in social situations where there’s pressure to drink. All you can do is encourage the person to recommit to overcoming their drinking problem and support them as they try again. Dealing stop glamorizing alcoholism with a loved one’s alcohol abuse or alcoholism can be painful and challenging for the whole family, but there is help available. If someone close to you is a high-functioning alcoholic, it’s just as important to seek support for yourself as it is to get help for your loved one.

Confronting an Alcoholic

You can also participate in a program that’s designed for the friends and family members of alcoholics, such as Al-Anon. It’s not easy to talk to someone about their drinking. You may be worried that if you bring up your concerns the person will get angry, defensive, lash out, or simply deny that they have a problem. Your loved one’s drinking isn’t likely to get better on its own; it’s more likely to get worse until you speak up. Alcohol abuse and addiction (also known as “alcohol use disorder”) doesn’t just affect the person drinking—it affects their families and loved ones, too. Watching a friend or family member struggle with a drinking problem can be as heartbreakingly painful as it is frustrating.

The following is a list of steps you should take in dealing with such a situation. Though not all steps would be appropriate in all situations, most would be applicable. Even though you must not try to diagnose the problem, there are many signs that may indicate a problem with alcohol, and should trigger a referral to the EAP.

Whenever possible, loop in a professional or another person in recovery. Critical to know you aren’t to blame for someone’s disease. Talk to a professional, like a counselor, therapist, or social worker, so they can help you understand the genetic and lifestyle components of alcoholism. You cannot expect someone who struggles with alcohol abuse will make significant changes after a single conversation. It’s important to be careful about your language when confronting someone about their alcohol abuse. Chances are that they are already feeling bad about themselves, and calling them names like “alcoholic” or “addict” will only make them feel worse.

• Through strategic marketing campaign concepts, Alyssa has established Banyan as an industry leader and a national household name.
• Our mission is to provide empowering, evidence-based mental health content you can use to help yourself and your loved ones.
• Supervisors should contact an agency EAP counselor for more information about the intervention technique.
• We have been married for 38 years and he has been sober around a total of 6 years of that 38.
• You’ll talk through the planned conversation, offer options for treatment, and present consequences.

Moderate amounts are very healthy, but too much can have devastating effects. Healthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic don’t drink alcohol while taking these medications research institutions, and medical associations. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Living with a High-Functioning Alcoholic: Signs and Support

As people grow older, they may find that the effects of the same amount of alcohol they consumed when younger now have a more dramatic impact. Older adults also tend to take more medications, some of which can boost the effect of alcohol and cause other harmful interactions. Major life changes or health issues can lead to alcohol misuse or alcohol use disorder.

Family and friends begin to interact with the alcoholic in the same way the alcoholic interacts with booze. And just like the alcoholic is powerless over alcohol, the family is powerless over the disease of alcoholism in their loved one. The addiction for the family becomes trying to control or save the alcoholic.

You also agree to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Mental health and wellness tips, our latest articles, resources and more. SMART Recovery – Self-Management and Recovery Training is a program that aims to achieve abstinence through self-directed change.

What are the Behavioral Symptoms?

Check with the Human Resources office about the rules and policies regarding approval and denial of leave. As a supervisor, you need to develop a strategy for addressing the work-related problems, as well as for encouraging the employee to get help. A good starting point is to meet with the EAP counselor, if possible, to discuss the problems observed and any other behavior by the employee that needs attention.

Turn to trusted friends, a support group, people in your faith community, or your own therapist. A good place to start is by joining a group such as Al-Anon, a free peer support group for families dealing with a loved one’s alcohol abuse. Listening to others facing the same challenges can serve as a tremendous source of comfort and support, and help you develop new tools for coping. Alateen is a similar support group specifically for teens who have a family member abusing alcohol. People with alcoholism are often in denial about their condition, or they’re high-functioning, which is when they’re capable of abusing alcohol while seeming like they have their life together.

AUDs make it challenging for an alcoholic to stop drinking even if they desire to. Talking to an alcoholic will be difficult especially if you consider yourself close to them. In today’s blog, how to approach an alcoholic will be made clear, along with symptoms of an AUD, and treatment options. This means someone will need to reach out to facilities that offer certified, evidence-based alcohol addiction treatment, and set up admission before the intervention. Intervention specialists are professionals who have significant experience with interventions and getting alcohol-addicted loved ones the help they need. These specialists can help create a plan, point out difficulties that may arise, and offer solutions.

The drinking that was done for the purpose of getting high is now being replaced by drinking to combat the pain and misery caused by prior drinking. If the employee is willing, he or she may be sent to the health unit for observation or a possible assessment. Health unit personnel may be able to offer a medical judgment that, in their opinion, the employee is intoxicated. They may also be able to conduct a voluntary alcohol test, most likely an EBT. Unless the employee is in a job with specific medical or physical requirements, you cannot order the employee to undergo any type of medical examination, including an EBT. Examples of the types of jobs that may have specific medical requirements include police officers, certain vehicle operators, air traffic controllers, and various direct patient-care personnel.

While some people can drink moderately, alcohol use is a major problem for millions of Americans. There are some telltale signs of alcohol use and alcoholism. When a person is addicted to alcohol, their loved ones will likely begin to notice. If you are concerned that someone close to you is abusing alcohol, you may wonder how to confront them about their alcohol use.

” You may be frustrated, but accusations aren’t likely to make the person change their behavior. Giving examples of specific concerns you have will reduce the opportunity for argument. Making a vague statement like “I’m concerned about your drinking” leaves the person the opportunity to argue that their drinking headaches from alcohol withdrawal isn’t really a problem. Stating something specific like “It concerns me that you drink a 12-pack every night and then cannot get to work on time in the morning” doesn’t leave much room for argument. Finding the right way to approach someone you think may have an alcohol use disorder can be tough.

Explain That You Are Worried About Your Loved One’s Health

It’s natural to be worried about a loved one who lives with alcohol addiction, and knowing how to talk to to them is the first step toward helping them. If you don’t control codependency, it can lead into more serious complications such as obsessive behavior, blame, and mental health issues. Watching a family member, friend, or coworker with an alcohol use disorder can be difficult. You might wonder what you can do to change the situation, and whether or not the person even wants your help. Many teens turn to alcohol to relieve stress, cope with the pressures to fit in or succeed at school, self-medicate other mental health issues, or to deal with major life changes, like a move or divorce.

Unfortunately, that person can undo all the other efforts everyone else is trying to make. Because as long as someone in active addiction has access to money, the motivation to quit just won’t be there. But the truth is, by bailing the alcoholic out of situations they’ve created for themselves, you pad the consequences of their drinking. Your help prevents them from experiencing the real effects of alcoholism. Preventing consequences isn’t how to help an alcoholic. As recovering addicts and alcoholics ourselves, we’ve been those people who it seemed like it was impossible to reach.

It’s vital that you stay safe, take care of your own health, and get the support you need. Residential treatment or “rehab” facilities provide intensive treatment for alcohol abuse or addiction. Your loved one resides at a special facility for 30 to 90 days and receives treatments such as detox, therapy, and medication. Your loved one’s primary care doctor or GP can evaluate their drinking patterns, assess their overall health and any co-occurring disorders, and provide treatment referrals.

When a friend or family member struggles with alcoholism, their loved ones might not know how to get them the help that they need. Discovery Place near Nashville, Tennessee, is here for men who need help with alcohol addiction as well as other substance use disorders. Contact us today to help your loved one get the help that they need. Like any other health problem, certain people are at higher risk1of developing an alcohol use disorder than others. For example, individuals who begin drinking before they turn 15 are significantly more likely to develop an alcohol use disorder when compared to those who wait until the legal drinking age of 21.