It is fascinating to mention something that family members who have been unfavorably affected by the alcoholism of another family member obviously do not understand. It appears that by shielding the alcohol dependent individual with untruths and deceit to those outside the family, these well-intentioned family members have basically created a condition that makes it easier for the alcoholic to persevere and move forward with his or her hurtful, devastating lifestyle.

In fact, instead of helping the alcoholic and themselves, these family members have basically become enablers who have inadvertently helped worsen the drinking problems of the problem drinker even further.

The Possibility of a Relapse is Real

Another key alcoholism issue involves alcohol relapses. Relapses take place when an alcohol dependent person has effectively undergone alcohol addiction rehabilitation and then resorts to drinking a number of weeks or months later. At first thought, this situation seems contradictory to sound thinking and sounds so improbable that it forces a person to speculate why anyone who has experienced the dreadfulness of alcoholism can return to drinking a short while after successful alcohol treatment and in turn after attaining recovery. There are, to be sure, many conceivable reasons for this.

It should be explained, nonetheless that alcohol addiction research that has focused on the long standing effects of alcoholism has shown that long after the alcohol dependent person has stopped his or her drinking, fundamental changes in the way in which the alcohol dependent person’s brain works are still present. As a result, all a recovering alcohol addicted individual has to do to involve himself or herself in actions that correspond with the transformations that have come about in the brain is to engage in drinking once again.

A Requirement for A Radical Lifestyle Modification

There are additional reasons why quite a few recovering alcohol addicted individuals return to drinking a few weeks or a few months after attaining sobriety. According to the alcoholism research literature, to make a successful recovery, the alcohol dependent individual needs new ways of acting and thinking in order to deal more effectively 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 elicit memories that can prompt psychological anxiety or push hot buttons that influence the recovering alcoholic to engage in abusive drinking once again. Sadly, all of these circumstances may not only get in the way of long-term sobriety for the alcohol dependent individual but they can also result in relapse and as a result work against one’s sobriety.

Summary

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

The addiction research literature demonstrates the fact that most individuals who effectively complete alcohol rehab experience at least one relapse. Alcohol dependent individuals and their family members need to know this so that they do not get crestfallen or overwhelmed when a relapse occurs.

Luckily, involvement in support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous and follow-up rehab and training have resulted in more effective, long lasting alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction rehab outcomes, have helped reduce alcohol relapses, and have helped recovering alcohol addicted persons achieve long lasting sobriety.

When I was a sophomore in high school, I took a drug abuse class. At that time period, I did not comprehend that alcohol abuse in truth was a sub division of drug abuse. While taking this class and learning more about drug and alcohol abuse, I read a lot about Alcoholic Anonymous, their meetings, how their programs have twelve steps, and how successful the Alcoholics Anonymous recovery program has been for people all over the world. I also learned quite a bit about alcohol treatment and the different alcohol rehab centers that are often available to people who engage in excessive drinking.

Some of the damaging outcomes associated with alcoholism and alcohol abuse that I learned about in this class undeniably alarmed me. The ruined lives and many difficulties experienced by most alcohol addicted individuals made me feel like I never wanted to drink alcohol when I became old enough. More to the point, I did not want to face the damage and destruction that alcohol dependent people almost always experience.

Ponder upon this for a moment. What fifteen-year-old individual wants to face premature death due to his or her drinking behavior? What teenager wants to become so out-of-control regarding his or her drinking that consuming alcohol becomes the object of one’s life? What young person wants to go to one of the local alcoholic rehabilitation centers to deal with alcohol-related difficulties before he or she becomes an adult?

What teenager wants to go through alcohol withdrawal symptoms when he or she tries to stop drinking? Why would an individual engage in drinking to such an extent that it would cause serious issues in every area of his or her life? Drinking later in life after an individual has a career, a family, and develops personal responsibilities makes sense. But why would a young person want to sacrifice his or her education, employment, finances, and relationships for a life that centers on abusive drinking?

These issues were so noteworthy that I talked about some of them in class during the school year. What was utterly unbelievable to me was the number of students who simply didn’t care about the damaging results of hazardous drinking that I discussed. It was almost as if they couldn’t be troubled with the facts and how these consequences can destroy their lives. For the first time in my life I started to understand a saying that my grandfather used to emphasize all through my youth: you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make it drink.

When I was in the tenth grade in high school, I took a substance abuse class. At that time, I did not comprehend that alcohol abuse actually was a sub division of drug abuse. While taking this class and learning more about drug and alcohol abuse, I read a lot about Alcoholic Anonymous, their meetings, how their programs have twelve steps, and how successful the Alcoholics Anonymous recovery program has been for people all over the world. I also learned quite a bit about alcohol rehab and the diverse alcohol rehab clinics that are frequently available to people who engage in heavy drinking.

Some of the detrimental consequences correlated with alcoholism and alcohol abuse that I learned about in this class certainly terrified me. The ruined lives and numerous problems experienced by most alcohol addicted people made me feel like I never wanted to drink alcohol when I became old enough. Stated differently, I did not want to face the wreckage and destruction that alcohol addicted individuals almost always encounter.

Think about this for a moment. What fifteen-year-old person wants to face premature death due to his or her drinking behavior? What adolescent wants to become so out-of-control regarding his or her drinking that ingesting alcohol becomes the object of one’s life? What teen wants to go to one of the local alcoholic rehabilitation centers to deal with alcohol-related problems before he or she becomes twenty-one?

What adolescent wants to go through alcohol withdrawal symptoms when he or she tries to quit drinking? Why would a person engage in drinking to such an extent that it would cause difficulties in every area of his or her life? Drinking later in life after a person has a career, a family, and develops personal responsibilities makes sense. But why would a young person want to sacrifice his or her education, employment, finances, and relationships for a life that centers on hazardous drinking?

These issues were so noteworthy that I talked about some of them in class throughout the school year. What was absolutely inconceivable to me was the number of students who simply didn’t care about the dangerous outcomes of abusive drinking that I talked about. It was almost as if they couldn’t be troubled with the facts and how these effects can destroy their lives. For the first time in my life I started to comprehend something that my grandfather used to emphasize throughout my adolesence: you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make it drink.

When I was in the tenth grade in high school, I enrolled into a drug abuse class. At that time period, I did not grasp the fact that alcohol abuse in reality was a sub category of drug abuse. While taking this class and learning more about drug and alcohol abuse, I read a lot about Alcoholic Anonymous, their meetings, how their programs have twelve steps, and how successful the Alcoholics Anonymous recovery program has been for people all over the world. I also learned quite a bit about alcohol treatment and the different alcohol rehab clinics that are typically available to problem drinkers.

Some of the negative effects related to alcoholism and alcohol abuse that I learned about in this class undeniably scared me. The ruined lives and many serious issues experienced by most alcohol addicted individuals made me feel like I never wanted to drink alcohol when I became old enough. In a word, I did not want to face the wreckage and devastation that alcohol addicted individuals almost always experience.

Let this sink in for a moment. What fifteen-year-old person wants to face premature death due to his or her drinking behavior? What young person wants to become so out-of-control regarding his or her drinking that ingesting alcohol becomes the object of one’s life? What teenager wants to go to one of the local alcoholic rehabilitation centers to deal with alcohol-related issues before he or she becomes twenty-one?

What teenager wants to encounter alcohol withdrawal symptoms when he or she tries to stop drinking? Why would an individual engage in drinking to such an extent that it would cause difficulties in every area of his or her life? Drinking later in life after a person has a career, a family, and develops personal responsibilities makes sense. But why would an adolescent want to sacrifice his or her education, employment, finances, and relationships for a life that focuses on excessive drinking?

These issues were so meaningful that I talked about some of them in class throughout the school year. What was entirely unbelievable to me was the number of students who openly didn’t care about the negative results of hazardous drinking that I discussed. It was almost as if they couldn’t be bothered with the truth and how these consequences can demolish their lives. For the first time in my life I started to appreciate a saying that my grandfather used to emphasize all through my teen and pre-teen years: you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make it drink.

It is remarkable to articulate something that family members who have been unfavorably affected by the alcoholism of another family member clearly do not grasp. It seems that by protecting the alcohol dependent person with untruths and deceitfulness 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 continue and go forward with his or her injurious, detrimental daily life.

Indeed, rather than helping the alcohol addicted person and themselves, these family members have in truth become enablers who have involuntarily helped deteriorate the alcohol addicted person’s drinking problem even further.

The Chances of a Relapse are Real

Another key alcohol dependency issue involves alcohol relapses.  Relapses take place when an alcoholic has successfully undergone alcoholism therapy and then returns to drinking a number of weeks or months later.  At first glance, this situation flies in the face of common sense and looks so implausible that it forces an individual to wonder why anyone who has lived through the wretchedness of alcohol dependency can return to drinking a short while after effective alcohol treatment and in turn after reaching sobriety.  There are, for sure, many likely reasons for this.

It should be pointed out, however that alcohol dependency research that has focused on the long standing consequences of alcohol addiction has revealed that long after the alcohol addicted individual has halted his or her drinking, fundamental alterations in the way in which the alcoholic’s brain works are still present. As a consequence, all a recovering alcohol addicted person has to do to involve himself or herself in actions that correspond with the modifications that have occurred in the brain is to begin drinking again.

The Need for A Significant Lifestyle Transformation

There are other reasons why quite a few recovering alcoholics return to drinking a few weeks or a few months after reaching sobriety. In accordance to the alcohol addiction research literature, to make an effective recovery, the alcohol dependent individual needs new ways of responding and thinking in order to deal more competently with demanding alcohol-related situations that will take place.

Conditions such as returning to the same alcohol addictive atmosphere or to the same geographic location; interacting once again with friends from the days when the alcohol dependent individual was drinking in a hazardous manner; or familiar songs, smells, or activities—all of these circumstances can bring forth memories that can set off psychological stress or push hot buttons that influence the recovering alcohol addicted individual to engage in abusive drinking once again. Sadly, all of these circumstances may not only counteract long standing alcohol recovery for the alcohol dependent individual but they can also lead to relapse and thus short-circuit one’s sobriety.

Conclusion

In an attempt to “protect” the family alcohol addicted person, family members can actually cause unplanned damage by enabling the unsafe drinking behavior of the alcoholic.

The drug abuse research literature confirms the fact that most individuals who effectively complete alcohol rehabilitation experience at least one relapse. Alcohol dependent individuals and their family members need to know this so that they do not get defeated or overwhelmed when a relapse happens.

Happily, involvement in support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous and follow-up rehab and training have resulted in more productive, lasting alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency rehab results, have helped decrease alcohol relapses, and have helped recovering alcoholics reach long lasting sobriety.