Enabling, Alcohol Dependency, and Alcohol Relapse
It is remarkable to mention something that family members who have been adversely affected by the alcohol dependency of another family member obviously do not comprehend. It seems that by protecting the alcohol dependent person with lies and deceitfulness to those outside the family, these well-intentioned family members have basically created a situation that makes it easier for the alcoholic to persist and press forward with his or her damaging, detrimental style of life.
Undeniably, instead of helping the alcoholic and themselves, these family members have in reality become enablers who have mistakenly helped worsen the alcoholic’s drinking problem even more.
Perhaps the real downside of this is that the alcoholic will continue drinking in an abusive and hazardous manner and suffer from different “alcohol side effects.” Some of these side effects include diminished mental functioning, deteriorating relationships, serious financial problems, legal issues (such as getting arrested for one or more DWIs), employment difficulties, and ill health.
Relapses Can and Do Occur From Time to Time
According to the research literature and statistics on alcohol addiction, another key alcohol dependency issue has to do with alcohol relapses. Relapses take place when an alcohol addicted individual has fruitfully undergone alcohol dependency rehab and then returns to drinking a number of weeks or months later. At first glance, this situation flies in the face of rational thinking and seems so doubtful that it forces a person to question why anyone who has gone through the awfulness of alcohol dependency can return to drinking a short while after successful alcohol rehab and in turn after reaching sobriety. There are, of course, many likely reasons for this.
It should be highlighted, nevertheless that alcohol dependency research that has focused on the long-term outcomes of alcohol addiction has demonstrated-proven that long after the alcohol addicted person has halted his or her drinking, critical transformations in the way in which the alcohol addicted person’s brain works are still present. As a consequence, all a recovering alcohol dependent person has to do to involve himself or herself in behaviors that correspond with the alterations that have occurred in the brain is to begin drinking once again.
A Requirement for A Radical Lifestyle Modification
There are additional reasons why numerous recovering alcohol dependent individuals 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 alcoholic needs new ways of reacting and thinking in order to deal more competently with tough alcohol-related situations that will take place.
Circumstances 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 person was drinking excessively; or familiar songs, smells, or activities—all of these situations can bring forth memories that can trigger psychological anxiety or push hot buttons that influence the recovering alcohol addicted person to engage in hazardous drinking once again. Unfortunately, all of these circumstances may not only work against ongoing sobriety for the alcohol addicted person but they can also result in relapse and consequently negate one’s sobriety.
The Good News: Quality Help is Readily Available
In an attempt to “protect” the family alcohol addicted person, family members can in fact cause inadvertent destruction by enabling the unhealthy drinking behavior of the alcoholic.
The alcoholism research literature highlights the fact that most individuals who successfully complete alcohol treatment experience at least one relapse. Alcoholics and their family members need to know this so that they do not get dejected or stressed out when a relapse takes place.
Luckily, participation in support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous and follow-up therapy and training have resulted in more successful, long standing alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency treatment outcomes, have helped diminish alcohol relapses, and have helped recovering alcohol dependent individuals reach ongoing sobriety.