It is interesting to articulate something that family members who have been unfavorably affected by the alcohol addiction of another family member evidently do not know. It appears that by protecting the alcoholic with lies and dishonesty to those outside the family, these well-intentioned family members have in essence created a situation that makes it easier for the alcoholic to persist and press forward with his or her damaging, destructive way of living.

Undeniably, rather than helping the alcohol addicted individual and themselves, these family members have essentially become enablers who have inadvertently helped deteriorate the alcoholic’s drinking problem even further.

Perhaps the real downside of this is that the alcohol dependent person will continue drinking in an excessive and abusive manner and experience a variety of “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.

The Chances of a Relapse are Real

According to the research literature and statistics on alcohol dependency, another key alcohol addiction issue involves alcohol relapses. Relapses take place when an alcohol addicted person has successfully undergone alcohol addiction treatment and then resorts to drinking a number of weeks or months later. At first thought, this predicament flies in the face of rational thinking and appears to be so unbelievable that it forces one to speculate why anyone who has experienced the misery of alcohol addiction can return to drinking a short while after effective alcohol counseling and in turn after reaching recovery. There are, to be sure, numerous conceivable reasons for this.

It should be noted, nevertheless that alcoholism research that has centered on the long-term outcomes of alcoholism has shown that long after the alcohol addicted person has halted his or her drinking, fundamental modifications in the way in which the alcoholic’s brain works are still present. As a result, all a recovering alcohol dependent individual has to do to involve himself or herself in actions that correspond with the modifications that have occurred in the brain is to begin drinking again.

A Requirement for A Radical Lifestyle Modification

There are additional reasons why many recovering alcoholics return to drinking a few weeks or a few months after reaching sobriety. According to the alcohol dependency research literature, to make a successful recovery, the alcoholic needs new ways of reacting and thinking in order to deal more successfully with taxing alcohol-related situations that will take place.

Conditions such as returning to the same alcohol addictive atmosphere or to the same geographic location; interacting once again with friends from the days when the alcohol addicted person was drinking abusively; or familiar songs, smells, or activities—all of these situations can elicit memories that can prompt psychological anxiety or push hot buttons that influence the recovering alcohol addicted person to engage in irresponsible drinking once again. Unfortunately, all of these situations may not only negate lasting sobriety for the alcohol dependent person but they can also lead to relapse and consequently short-circuit one’s sobriety.

The Good News: There’s Light at the End of the Tunnel

In an attempt to “protect” the family alcohol dependent person, family members can actually cause unintentional damage by enabling the unhealthy drinking behavior of the alcohol dependent person.

The substance abuse research literature demonstrates the fact that most individuals who effectively 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 crestfallen or stressed out when a relapse occurs.

Fortunately, involvement in support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous and follow-up therapy and education have resulted in more effective, enduring alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction therapeutic outcomes, have helped diminish alcohol relapses, and have helped recovering alcohol dependent persons accomplish long lasting alcohol recovery.

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