Alcoholism is a serious disease. Addiction to alcoholic beverages spoils the human psyche, and regular use of ethyl alcohol gradually destroys all organs and systems. A heavy drinker literally destroys himself from the inside. And at the same time, it makes the life of relatives and friends unbearable. How to stop someone drinking? How to protect it from the negative effects of strong drinks? What can be done to bring peace and tranquility to the family?
We immediately note that it will not work to treat alcoholism without its own will. So, if you decide to add some kind of "miracle treatment" to his food at home, you should know that your idea is already doomed to failure. Nothing good comes from forced treatment. In addition, it is not so easy to hand over to the hospital without the consent of the drinker. Therefore, this article will mainly talk about how to convince an alcoholic to seek treatment, how to give him up on alcohol.
Problem recognition
As a rule, if a person drinks a lot, then he does not consider it a disease. Often, an alcoholic does not admit that he has been drinking too hard lately. He believes that he drinks as much as usual, not more than everyone else. In addition, you may encounter another difficulty: the drinker agrees that there is too much alcohol in his life.
He may have already been tortured by constant suspension. But at this stage, he still does not want to quit, he does not understand that he is already addicted. Such a person believes in his own strength and that he can separate himself from alcohol at home without outside help, but not now, but one day later. Simply put, "later" never comes.
Therefore, the answer to the question "how to treat an alcoholic" should begin with convincing him that he is sick. This is often one of the most difficult steps. You can use several tricks to cope with this task. Educate the patient on the health hazards of alcohol. Pay attention to the deterioration of well-being that the drinker has recently experienced (and this may be to one degree or another anyway).
Try to focus the alcoholic's attention on the fact that he already drinks too much, that alcohol is causing changes in his behavior. Tell us that you can completely overcome this, you just need to start treatment as soon as possible. And finally, try to convince the drinker that it's not a shame to call yourself an alcoholic, it's a shame not to admit the obvious.
Dismissal of charges
If you are wondering how to help a person who is drinking, remember that you always want to help, not blame. This is very important, because alcohol changes the psyche in such a way that a person becomes very sensitive and even capricious. If you start punishing him like a delinquent child, he will shut down, turn away from you and get worse. You need to convince the alcoholic of your friendly attitude. The patient should see you as a friend and ally.
Avoid scandals and shouting. The key to success is endless patience. Even if it's crazy hard for you, if you want to vent your emotions, then you should do it without anyone seeing. Do not allow outsiders (eg neighbors) to make accusations against the drinker. Never scold him in front of others.
Help for alcoholism involves maximum leniency. Of course, you can show a person that his addiction to alcohol has a bad effect on him and those around him, but this should be presented as a fact, not as an accusation. Remember that no one wants to be scolded. Do not try to offend or anger the drinker: this will only make him angry and drink more to hold a grudge against you. Understand that alcohol speaks in a person and you need to "wake" him up.
Choosing the Right Moment
You need to choose the right time to help with alcoholism. This should be a period when the person does not drink. Talking to a drunk is completely useless. Of course, anyone who wants to can try, but it will be extremely difficult to achieve anything, and you can spoil your nerves in vain. Keep in mind that you will not be able to get a person out of heavy drinking at home on your own, so you have to be patient and wait. The "bright" period will come sooner or later, and then you need to ask the question of how to help the alcoholic.
Help to get rid of alcoholism should begin with a serious conversation that will provide the patient with the necessary motivation. This conversation should be held in a quiet environment, preferably at home. For this to succeed, two conditions must be met. First, the alcoholic himself must be sober (it was mentioned above).
Second, you have to be mentally prepared yourself. Think in advance about what words you will choose and how you will convince them. Think about how to help the alcoholic understand you better, choose the right examples. Be calm and confident. Remember that the first conversation probably won't work. Never give up. It can always be repeated again and again until the first successes appear.
Setting the right goals
To get a person away from strong drinks, you need to give him the right motivation. Therefore, if you are interested in "how to help an alcoholic", you should find an alternative to alcohol for him. He should understand that life is beautiful even without alcohol, the world is full of wonderful opportunities. If you quit, you can get a good job. . . You will meet a decent girl. . . You will start talking to your friends again. . . Tell the patient what he liked in his past life. Give him hope to get what he wants (except alcohol).
Emphasize that his health will improve significantly, and that you can still regain strength of hand and clarity of mind. The right motivation should be the guiding star on the road to recovery.
Alcohol addiction is so strong that only a great goal is able to overcome it and separate the patient from the glass. He should aim for something other than booze. And this desire must prevail in the end. He should take the alcoholic to a doctor and further support him on a difficult path.
When looking for an answer to the question "how to stop a person from drinking", do not hesitate to consult a psychologist. You can't always do it alone. A specialist will tell you how to behave, what is better to say, how to behave in order to separate a loved one from alcoholic beverages. If you do not feel the strength to have a serious conversation with an alcoholic, then you can invite a psychologist to your home. He will be able to get an idea of the extent of the problem at home, talk to the patient and most likely after a few sessions, he will guide him on the right path.
Lying is forbidden
Lying is the worst influence. Never try to cheat an alcoholic. Of course, he wants to hear that the treatment will be simple and enjoyable. But it is not. A number of severe symptoms await him:
- nausea,
- vomit,
- Headache,
- weakness,
- dizziness,
- tremors of the limbs,
- excessive desire to drink.
Warn the patient that this will need to be addressed. A person should be mentally prepared for possible difficulties. Your task is to convince him that he can overcome temporary difficulties, you just need to be patient for a while. Explain that complete treatment at home is not possible. It will take some time to get to the hospital. An alcoholic must know what to expect.
Do not talk about impossible possibilities, for example, you can drink strong drinks on holidays after recovery. There is not a single alcoholic who drinks a little after treatment. There are either those who do not drink at all or those who return to their previous drinking habits. You can't set unrealistic goals. All of them should be at least somewhat realistic. Otherwise, you can expect the strongest disappointment and a new accident.
How to help a drunk person? Do not try to wean him off alcohol at home or secretly from him. Try to explain the need for inpatient treatment. Do not hurt the alcoholic and do not blame him for the problems that arise. Find the right motives for him, something he wants besides alcohol. Only tell the truth. Never give up. If the first attempts to help did not work, they should be repeated again and again.
Do not try to solve the problem yourself at home. If there is such a need, you can contact a psychologist or narcologist. Remember that you do not have to carry all the responsibility on your shoulders. Convincing an alcoholic to seek treatment is a perfectly acceptable solution. Your main task is to help the patient to want to be healthy again in any way possible. Then the alcoholic will gradually begin to help himself.