Alcohol Relapse, Enabling, and Alcohol Dependency
It is worthy of note to point out something that family members who have been adversely affected by the alcoholism of another family member apparently do not grasp. It seems to be that by protecting the alcohol addicted person with falsehoods and deceit to those outside the family, these well-intentioned family members have in effect created a condition that makes it easier for the alcohol addicted individual to carry on and go forward with his or her negative, detrimental style of life.
To be sure, rather than helping the alcohol dependent individual and themselves, these family members have essentially become enablers who have involuntarily helped worsen the alcohol addicted person’s drinking problem even further.
Perhaps the real downside of this is that the alcohol dependent individual will continue drinking in an irresponsible manner and suffer from different “alcohol side effects.” Some of these side effects include poor health, deteriorating relationships, considerable financial problems, employment difficulties, legal issues (such as getting arrested for one or more DUIs), and diminished mental functioning.
Relapses Can and Do Transpire
According to the research literature and statistics on alcohol dependency, another key alcoholism issue concerns alcohol relapses. Relapses take place when an alcohol dependent individual has fruitfully undergone alcohol dependency therapy and then returns to drinking a number of weeks or months later. At first thought, this situation seems contradictory to rational thinking and looks so unrealistic that it forces a person to speculate why anyone who has lived through the dreadfulness of alcohol addiction can return to drinking a short while after effective alcohol therapy and in turn after achieving sobriety. There are, without a doubt, more than a few plausible reasons for this.
It should be highlighted, nevertheless that alcohol dependency research that has focused on the enduring consequences of alcohol addiction has shown that long after the alcohol addicted person has halted his or her drinking, critical alterations in the way in which the alcohol dependent individual’s brain functions are still present. As a result, all a recovering alcohol dependent person has to do to involve himself or herself in behaviors that correspond with the modifications that have taken place in the brain is to begin drinking once again.
A Requirement for An Important Lifestyle Change
There are other reasons why several recovering alcoholics return to drinking a few weeks or a few months after attaining sobriety. In accordance to the alcohol dependency research literature, to make a successful recovery, the alcohol dependent individual needs new ways of acting and thinking in order to deal more efficiently with demanding alcohol-related situations that will take place.
Issues such as returning to the same alcohol addictive atmosphere or to the same geographic location; interacting once again with friends from the time when the alcohol dependent individual was drinking excessively; or familiar songs, smells, or activities—all of these situations can bring about memories that can set off psychological anxiety or push hot buttons that influence the recovering alcohol dependent person to engage in abusive drinking once again. Regrettably, all of these situations may not only counteract long standing alcohol recovery for the alcoholic but they can also lead to relapse and thus circumvent one’s sobriety.
The Good News: There’s a Lot of Hope for Lasting Sobriety
In an attempt to “protect” the family alcohol addicted individual, family members can in point of fact cause unintentional harm by enabling the unhealthy drinking behavior of the alcohol dependent person.
The substance abuse research literature highlights the fact that most individuals who successfully complete alcohol counseling go through at least one relapse. Alcohol dependent persons and their family members need to know this so that they do not get down in the dumps or stressed out when a relapse takes place.
Luckily, participation in support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous and follow-up rehab and training have resulted in more successful, long standing alcohol abuse and alcoholism therapeutic results, have helped reduce alcohol relapses, and have helped recovering alcohol dependent persons achieve lasting sobriety.
Posted in top 10 medical schools