By Denny Mitchell
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 Reinforcement of Excessive and Abusive 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.
Relapses Can and Do Happen
Similar to enabling, alcohol relapse is another important alcoholism concern. Indeed, substance abuse research demonstrates the fact that most alcohol dependent individuals who stop drinking and get alcohol rehab relapse once, twice, or even more times. Not only this, but some chemical dependency experts frankly assert that relapse is a predictable part of alcohol recovery. It almost goes without saying, then, that alcohol addicted people and their family members need to know this so that they do not get beleaguered or dejected when a relapse occurs.
One aspect of relapse, however, needs special attention: when an alcoholic has successfully gone through alcohol treatment and then starts drinking a number of weeks, months, or even 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.
Contrary to what most "normal" individuals comprehend, chemical dependency research has proven that numerous weeks or months after alcoholics have achieved abstinence, fundamental changes in the way in which their brain "works" are still in operation. Unfortunately, all recovering alcohol addicted people have to do to begin acting in ways that are in concert with the transformations that have taken place in their brain is to begin drinking 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.
What is more, all of these circumstances may not only lead to relapse and work contrary to the goals of sobriety, but they may also inhibit long-term recovery.
Fortunately, enduring alcohol dependency rehab outcomes, follow-up training and counseling, and taking part in recovery programs and support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous have not only resulted in fewer alcohol relapses, but they have also helped recovering alcohol addicted people attain long term alcohol recovery.
