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It may be hard to live with a family member that is abusing or addicted to alcohol. There can be a fine line between abuse and addiction, but one thing is for sure – you need to get them the help they need before it becomes too late.
If someone in your family is abusing and addicted to alcohol, they may experience blackouts, loss of control, job problems and major concern from family members that notice their behavior changes.
First, you want to contact someone that may be able to help you and your family member get the correct assistance they need. You may want to talk to a counselor, or even a doctor for references on where you could go for help. Once you have contacted someone that can help, they may give the addict an evaluation to determine the degree of severity of their problem.
If you are afraid of confronting a family member that you think has an alcohol abuse problem, just be honest with them. Talk with them face-to-face and let them know your concerns. If you try to beat around the bush, they will sense your uneasiness about it and will most likely deny they have a problem. If you are firm with them and let them know your honest thoughts, then they may sit down and listen to you.
You also want to make sure that you don’t make it easier for them to abuse alcohol. Don’t hide their bottles from them, they will always go out and get more. Don’t call in sick for them at work, because that is just excusing their behavior. You don’t want to be an enabler for them, you want them to get the help they need.
Alcohol abuse is a very serious problem that needs attention immediately before it becomes too late. A drunk driver can kill themselves as well as other innocent people.