Alcohol Relapse, Alcohol Addiction, and Enabling

It is remarkable to articulate something that family members who have been harmfully affected by the alcohol dependency of another family member plainly do not grasp. It appears that by protecting the alcoholic with untruths and dishonesty to those outside the family, these well-intentioned family members have in essence created a situation that makes it easier for the alcohol dependent individual to persist and advance with his or her damaging, devastating existence.

Undeniably, instead of helping the alcohol addicted person and themselves, these family members have basically become enablers who have mistakenly helped deteriorate the alcohol dependent individual’s drinking problem even more.

Perhaps the real downside of this is that the alcoholic will continue drinking in a hazardous manner and go through different "alcohol side effects." Some of these side effects include deteriorating relationships, employment difficulties, ill health, diminished mental functioning, serious financial problems, and legal issues (such as getting arrested for one or more DWIs).

Relapses Can and Do Occur From Time to Time

According to the research findings and statistics on alcohol dependency, another key alcohol dependency issue involves alcohol relapses. Relapses take place when an alcohol addicted individual has fruitfully undergone alcohol dependency therapy and then returns to drinking a number of weeks or months later. At first thought, this predicament flies in the face of commonsensical thinking and sounds so implausible that it forces an individual to wonder why anyone who has gone through the terror of alcohol addiction can return to drinking a short while after successful alcohol treatment and in turn after attaining sobriety. There are, of course, many rational reasons for this.

It should be highlighted, nevertheless that alcohol dependency research that has centered on the lasting outcomes of alcohol dependency has demonstrated-proven that long after the alcohol addicted person has stopped his or her drinking, major changes in the way in which the alcohol dependent individual’s brain functions are still present. As a result, all a recovering alcohol addicted person has to do to involve himself or herself in actions that correspond with the changes that have taken place in the brain is to start drinking once again.

A Requirement for A Crucial Lifestyle Modification

There are other reasons why many recovering alcohol dependent individuals return to drinking a few weeks or a few months after achieving sobriety. In accordance to the alcohol addiction research literature, to make an effective recovery, the alcohol addicted person needs new ways of reacting and thinking in order to deal more successfully with challenging alcohol-related circumstances that will take place.

Conditions such as returning to the same alcohol addictive environment or to the same geographic location; interacting once again with friends from the days when the alcohol dependent individual was drinking irresponsibly; or familiar songs, smells, or activities—all of these circumstances can bring about memories that can set off psychological stress or push hot buttons that influence the recovering alcoholic to engage in irresponsible drinking once again. Unfortunately, all of these situations may not only negate ongoing alcohol recovery for the alcohol addicted individual but they can also result in relapse and as a result work against one’s sobriety.

The Good News: First-Class Help is Available Almost Everywhere

In an attempt to “protect” the family alcohol dependent individual, family members can essentially cause unintended harm by enabling the unhealthy drinking behavior of the alcohol addicted person.

The alcohol abuse research literature highlights the fact that most people who successfully complete alcohol treatment experience at least one relapse. Alcohol addicted persons and their family members need to know this so that they do not get down in the dumps or beleaguered when a relapse happens.

Happily, participation in support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous and follow-up counseling and education have resulted in more successful, lasting alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency rehab results, have helped reduce alcohol relapses, and have helped recovering alcohol dependent individuals achieve long lasting sobriety.

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