Enabling, Alcohol Addiction, and Alcohol Relapse
A major alcoholism matter has to do with the enabling behavior exhibited by family members. Indeed, it is noteworthy to discuss something that numerous family members who have been adversely affected by the alcohol addiction of another family member evidently do not understand. Without conscious awareness of their actions, when they "shield" the alcoholic with deceit and untruths to those outside the family, these well-intentioned family members have more or less created a state of affairs that makes it relatively easy for the alcohol dependent person to keep up with his or her vicious cycle of hazardous, immature, and irresponsible living.
Enabling and the Bolstering of Irresponsible and Dangerous Drinking
Stated another way, instead of truly helping the alcoholic and helping themselves address and realistically deal with the alcohol dependent person's disease, these family members have for the most part become enablers who have made a bad situation even worse.
The Probability of a Relapse is Real
Not unlike enabling, alcohol relapse is another critical alcohol addiction problem. In point of fact, the alcoholism and alcohol abuse research literature reveals the fact that most alcohol addicted people who quit drinking and get alcohol rehabilitation relapse a minimum of one or two times. Furthermore, some drug and alcohol addiction experts openly state that relapse is an essential part of the recovery process. Obviously, alcohol addicted persons and their family members need to know this so that they do not get overwhelmed or dejected when a relapse happens.
One facet of relapse, nevertheless, demands particular consideration: when an alcohol addicted individual has gone through alcohol rehab in a successful and effective manner and then begins to drink once again many weeks, months, or perhaps years later.
"He had worked through his drinking problems. Why did he lose control and start drinking again"? This is a classic question that many friends or family members have asked about an alcohol addicted individual who has suffered through a relapse after going through alcohol rehabilitation in a successful and effective manner.
To be sure, to a "normal" person, an alcohol relapse after quite a few months or years of sobriety is so astonishing that it forces one to ask why any individual who has gone through the pain and suffering of alcohol addiction can start drinking once again. Without a doubt, there are more than a few credible reasons for this.
In opposition to what the vast majority of "average" people understand, alcoholism research has shown that quite a few weeks or months after alcohol addicted people have attained sobriety, significant changes in the way in which their brain operates are still taking place. Regrettably, all recovering alcohol dependent individuals have to do to keep in step with the modifications that have taken occurred in their brain is to simply start drinking once again.
The Need for A Significant Lifestyle Change
Brain transformations aside, there are other plausible reasons why many recovering alcoholics start drinking many weeks or months after attaining sobriety. As an illustration, substance abuse research shows that alcoholics need different and novel ways of reacting and thinking so they can more effectively deal with problematic alcohol-related issues that will arise.
Moreover, situations such as familiar songs, smells, or activities; associating once again with pals from the time when the alcohol dependent person was still drinking in an irresponsible and excessive manner; or returning to the same drinking atmosphere or geographic location--all of these conditions can push various emotional "hot buttons" that tempt recovering alcoholics to start drinking once again.
Not only this, but all of these conditions may not only result in a relapse and work against the goals of abstinence, but they may also sabotage lasting recovery.
Fortunately, long lasting alcoholism therapeutic results, follow-up treatment and training, and participation in recovery and support groups like Alcoholics Anonymous have helped reduce alcohol relapses and have also helped recovering alcohol dependent individuals attain ongoing alcohol recovery.
Enabling and the Bolstering of Irresponsible and Dangerous Drinking
Stated another way, instead of truly helping the alcoholic and helping themselves address and realistically deal with the alcohol dependent person's disease, these family members have for the most part become enablers who have made a bad situation even worse.
The Probability of a Relapse is Real
Not unlike enabling, alcohol relapse is another critical alcohol addiction problem. In point of fact, the alcoholism and alcohol abuse research literature reveals the fact that most alcohol addicted people who quit drinking and get alcohol rehabilitation relapse a minimum of one or two times. Furthermore, some drug and alcohol addiction experts openly state that relapse is an essential part of the recovery process. Obviously, alcohol addicted persons and their family members need to know this so that they do not get overwhelmed or dejected when a relapse happens.
One facet of relapse, nevertheless, demands particular consideration: when an alcohol addicted individual has gone through alcohol rehab in a successful and effective manner and then begins to drink once again many weeks, months, or perhaps years later.
"He had worked through his drinking problems. Why did he lose control and start drinking again"? This is a classic question that many friends or family members have asked about an alcohol addicted individual who has suffered through a relapse after going through alcohol rehabilitation in a successful and effective manner.
To be sure, to a "normal" person, an alcohol relapse after quite a few months or years of sobriety is so astonishing that it forces one to ask why any individual who has gone through the pain and suffering of alcohol addiction can start drinking once again. Without a doubt, there are more than a few credible reasons for this.
In opposition to what the vast majority of "average" people understand, alcoholism research has shown that quite a few weeks or months after alcohol addicted people have attained sobriety, significant changes in the way in which their brain operates are still taking place. Regrettably, all recovering alcohol dependent individuals have to do to keep in step with the modifications that have taken occurred in their brain is to simply start drinking once again.
The Need for A Significant Lifestyle Change
Brain transformations aside, there are other plausible reasons why many recovering alcoholics start drinking many weeks or months after attaining sobriety. As an illustration, substance abuse research shows that alcoholics need different and novel ways of reacting and thinking so they can more effectively deal with problematic alcohol-related issues that will arise.
Moreover, situations such as familiar songs, smells, or activities; associating once again with pals from the time when the alcohol dependent person was still drinking in an irresponsible and excessive manner; or returning to the same drinking atmosphere or geographic location--all of these conditions can push various emotional "hot buttons" that tempt recovering alcoholics to start drinking once again.
Not only this, but all of these conditions may not only result in a relapse and work against the goals of abstinence, but they may also sabotage lasting recovery.
Fortunately, long lasting alcoholism therapeutic results, follow-up treatment and training, and participation in recovery and support groups like Alcoholics Anonymous have helped reduce alcohol relapses and have also helped recovering alcohol dependent individuals attain ongoing alcohol recovery.
About the Author:
Denny Mitchell writes about how to recognize alcoholism, alcohol deaths, substance abuse, alcohol addiction intervention, and stages of alcoholism. For more info please visit alcoholic behavior.