Enabling, Alcohol Dependency, And Alcohol Relapse: The Need For Enhanced Relationships And Friendships That Are Not Hurtful
It is remarkable to articulate something that family members who have been harmfully affected by the alcoholism of another family member clearly do not realize. It seems that by protecting the alcohol dependent person with falsehoods and deceitfulness to those outside the family, these well-intentioned family members have in essence created a condition that makes it easier for the alcohol dependent individual to carry on and press forward with his or her hurtful, detrimental daily life.
Undeniably, rather than helping the alcohol dependent individual and themselves, these family members have essentially become enablers who have unintentionally helped negatively affect the alcohol addicted person’s drinking problem even more.
Perhaps the real downside of this is that the alcohol addicted person will continue drinking in an abusive and excessive manner and go through diverse "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 Likelihood of a Relapse is Real
According to the research findings and statistics on alcohol addiction, another key alcoholism issue concerns alcohol relapses. Relapses take place when an alcohol dependent individual has fruitfully gone through alcohol dependency rehabilitation and then returns to drinking a number of weeks or months later. At first glance, this situation flies in the face of commonsensical thinking and sounds so unrealistic that it forces one to wonder why anyone who has lived through the dejection of alcoholism can return to drinking a short while after effective alcohol treatment and in turn after reaching sobriety. There are, of course, many likely reasons for this.
It should be noted, however that alcohol dependency research that has focused on the long-term outcomes of alcohol addiction has revealed that long after the alcohol addicted person has quit his or her drinking, key transformations in the way in which the alcohol dependent person’s brain operates are still present. As a result, all a recovering alcohol addicted person has to do to involve himself or herself in behaviors that correspond with the transformations that have come about in the brain is to begin drinking again.
The Need for A Crucial Lifestyle Modification
There are additional reasons why numerous recovering alcohol dependent persons return to drinking a few weeks or a few months after reaching sobriety. In accordance to the alcoholism research literature, to make a successful recovery, the alcoholic needs new ways of acting and thinking in order to deal more successfully with demanding alcohol-related situations that will take place.
Issues 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 individual was drinking irresponsibly; or familiar songs, smells, or activities—all of these conditions can bring about memories that can trigger psychological anxiety or push hot buttons that influence the recovering alcoholic to engage in hazardous drinking once again. Unfortunately, all of these circumstances may not only work against long lasting sobriety for the alcohol addicted person but they can also lead to relapse and consequently counteract one’s sobriety.
The Good News: There's Light at the End of the Tunnel
In an attempt to “protect” the family's alcoholic, family members can essentially cause inadvertent destruction by enabling the unhealthy drinking behavior of the alcohol dependent person.
The alcohol abuse research literature demonstrates the fact that most individuals who effectively complete alcohol rehabilitation go through at least one relapse. Alcohol dependent individuals and their family members need to know this so that they do not get depressed or beleaguered when a relapse occurs.
Luckily, taking part in support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous and follow-up counseling and training have resulted in more productive, long-term alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency rehab results, have helped reduce alcohol relapses, and have helped recovering alcoholics attain long standing alcohol recovery.
