How Can I Help Someone With Alcohol Addiction?

The latest government figures tell us that an estimated 608,416 adults were struggling with alcohol addiction. Despite more awareness around the dangers of alcohol, it is still a major problem in our society.

The figures don’t tell you how many people around the person suffering are affected, too. Many loved ones and friends want to help someone with their alcohol addiction, but don’t know how.

This is why it is important to know how to support someone with alcohol addiction, what steps they should take, and the support that is widely available to help.

The Dilemma of Wanting to Help

It may seem like a simple thing to do – talk to someone. In fact, it is incredibly hard, and there is a conflict for every person who knows someone who is suffering from addiction and wants to help them.

You’re likely a mess of feelings. Care, frustration, anger, fear, helplessness and love are all tangled up. You know change needs to happen, but you are unsure what the first step is.

With addiction, though, you can run from it, but eventually it will catch up with everyone involved. This is why it’s important to know what to say, how to say it and what help is available to you. The situation isn’t hopeless, and there are strategies you can employ, help you can get and words you can take to heart to realise you can help.

What you first need to realise is that there is no fixing. You can’t force people to make the changes they need; you can only influence them to step through the door and begin the journey.

Recognising When Help is Needed

It’s important to know what the signs of addiction are, so that you can tell if your loved one’s drinking has crossed into becoming problematic.

Common signs of alcohol misuse include:

• Social withdrawal
• Neglecting responsibilities
• Breakdown in relationships
• New friendships with people who revolve around drinking
• Being hungover more often
• Drinking during the day
• Mood swings
• Depression and anxiety

You need to ensure that you are paying attention. Alcoholism is a spectrum, and many people hide their dependence beneath social drinking and the appearance of having it all together, when actually they don’t.

If you recognise these symptoms in someone you know, you should encourage them to seek professional assessment or screening.

How to Start a Conversation With Care

If you are looking to talk to someone you love about their drinking, there are ways to begin this delicate conversation. Ways to start the conversation include:

• Use open-ended, nonjudgmental questions: Don’t go straight in with the topic. Start softly with a question, such as “How do you feel about your drinking?” Converse, don’t confront.

• Focus on concern: It’s an emotionally charged situation, so keep anger out of it. Frame it as expressing concern with terms such as “I’m worried” rather than making accusations.

• Be specific: Provide concrete examples of their behaviour and the impact, rather than relying on vague sentiments.

• Be prepared: It will be a difficult conversation, and they may resist, deny, or react emotionally. Prepare for all eventualities so you don’t find yourself getting tripped up by how the conversation goes.

At first, it may feel like an impossible task, but there are plenty of resources out there. Along with this guide, Mind has similar advice that is worth looking at.

Offer Practical Support (Not Control)

Once you’ve started the conversation, you should prioritise offering practical alcohol support that helps with the next steps.

You can offer practical support by:

• Letting them know you’re there to help: Reassure them that you are there to support them through the journey, not shame and nag them.
• Help them find the right treatment: Look at the rehab options, whether it be outpatient or inpatient rehab, and help them decide which is best for them.
• Encourage a healthier lifestyle: Help with making immediate lifestyle changes. Encourage them to adopt a healthier routine and try new activities, take part in exercising with them or do hobbies they enjoy.
• Avoid enabling: Draw a line on how everyone is currently approaching the topic. Stop covering up for their drinking or lending them money.

Support During Treatment & Recovery

Once you help someone get into rehab, you can continue to be their greatest supporter.

During their time in rehab, you can remain a positive presence by:

• Attending family sessions in rehab if and when it is allowed.
• Help them stick to appointments, assist with medication management, and support them through aftercare, ensuring they attend group support meetings.
• Be a stable and supportive presence, offering support rather than pushing them too hard or being critical.

Look After Yourself as a Supporter

In amongst all this, you need to remember to look after yourself. If you are fraying at the edges, the support you give to others won’t be as good as it can be.

To better care for yourself when someone is going through recovery, you can:

• Get support: Organisations such as Adfam and Al-Anon have group support meetings for those supporting people suffering from addiction. Counselling can also be helpful, providing a safe space for you to talk with a professional.

• Set boundaries: Draw a line in the sand about what you won’t tolerate anymore. You are not responsible for their behaviour, and they must make their own choices to get help.

• Avoid burnout: Practise self-care when you can. Eat right, exercise, do things you enjoy, rest and ensure that your own wellbeing is not suffering because of others.

When to Involve Professionals or Crisis Help

There may come a time when you cannot wait for your loved one to realise they need help. In a dangerous or critical situation, you have to act quickly and get help.

You should get professional help if someone is attempting detox at home and experiences severe withdrawal symptoms. This type of severe withdrawal is known as delirium tremens. Symptoms of this include tremors, confusion, high body temperature and increased heart rate.

It is a dangerous condition and can result in seizures and death.

Another time to seek crisis help is if a person is a risk to themselves or others.

In these events, you should use emergency or private services, such as specialised rehab centres, which are experienced in dealing with these urgent situations.

How Alcohol Rehab Services London Can Help

At Alcohol Rehab London, we can help find an addiction treatment service in London that is right for you. We are available 24/7, able to quickly assess you over the phone and connect you to a service or help you with the next steps.

We have direct access to CQC-regulated inpatient rehab centres, counselling and aftercare services and detox centres.

Inpatient rehab provides the most comprehensive and effective form of addiction treatment. During your time there, you will engage in several addiction therapies, including:

• Medically assisted detox
• Individual and group therapies (including CBT and DBT sessions)
• Holistic therapies (art therapy, yoga, mindfulness)

We will connect you with facilities that pride themselves on confidentiality, adopt a comprehensive, holistic approach to treatment, and are staffed by experienced, compassionate professionals.

Our database of centres and services covers a vast area. Not only can we help you find somewhere in the centre of London, but we are also connected to addiction treatments from Watford to Croydon, covering the Greater London area.

We operate a dedicated line, ensuring easy contact so you can get the information and support you need whenever you need it.

You Can’t Do It Alone – But Your Support Matters

It may not feel like it, but caring and consistent support can make all the difference in the world. When you’re in the weeds of helping someone, it’s important to stay patient and set realistic expectations. Recovery is a marathon, not a sprint.

If you’re ready to help your loved one with professional guidance, contact Alcohol Rehab Services London today. We offer confidential assessments and tailored care to begin your loved one’s recovery journey.