My relationship with alcohol started like any other teenager’s — as a fun way to blow off steam and fit in with my peers. I became obsessed with the feeling of drunkenness and the escapism that it provided. Little did I know, my seemingly innocent relationship with alcohol would turn into a never-ending struggle.

In college, I took things up a notch. When alcohol was more accessible and cheaper, I drank more, and I often found myself blacking out at parties. Every morning, I would wake up feeling ashamed and regretful, but I would brush it off and start the cycle again. As the years passed, my drinking escalated, and I soon found myself completely dependent on alcohol just to get through my days.I was in denial of my problem for a long time, and it finally came to a head when I was arrested for a DUI. This was a wake-up call for me, and I began to consider getting help for my drinking problem. After making the decision to get help, I went to my first Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meeting. I was initially embarrassed to admit my drinking problem to the group, but soon I felt supported by everyone in the room. After meeting with my sponsor and listening to the stories of others, I realized that alcohol had been controlling my life for far too long and it was time to take back the power.

The biggest issue for me throughout my recovery has been managing stress. Long days at work or anything upsetting can be triggers; although I know that having a drink won’t solve my problems, my cravings work on a deeper level. Situations like these are when having a strong support system is key. Being surrounded by family and friends who understand my recovery journey and cheer me on has been incredibly helpful. On days when I feel overwhelmed, they remind me why I quit drinking and help me refocus my energy on healthier activities.

Making healthy habits and lifestyle changes is also essential for my recovery. Incorporating yoga and meditation into my life has enabled me to feel grounded and connected to myself in a way that nothing else could. Being mindful of my thoughts and feelings has helped me stay away from alcohol and make healthier decisions.

My journey to sobriety has been challenging, but I’m glad that I chose to make the changes that I did. Although I have moments when I relapse, I have come a long way and am now dedicated to maintaining my sobriety. I’ve learned that recovery is a lifelong process and that I can’t do it alone. Building a strong support system and staying committed to healthy habits are both key components of my success. Today, I am happier and healthier than I’ve ever been, and I remind myself every day why I decided to quit drinking in the first place.

Alcoholism is a gripping addiction that has severe consequences on a person’s life. It is capable of ruining jobs, reputations, health and livelihoods. Life with an alcoholic is not easy for anyone. Despite knowing that alcoholism is not a person’s fault, expecting them to take responsibility for it can be a long bumpy road, that does not necessarily end happily all the time. Those who have lived with an alcoholic know how trying it is and how desperate it can make a person feel. A few of the common problems of living with an alcoholic include:

Frequent alcohol consumption causes mood instability, especially in people who have a mood disorder, mental disorder or personality disorder, which many alcoholics have. This may range from crying and irritability all the way to physical violence. Obviously, this has tremendous negative influences on the person’s mental health who lives with the alcoholic.

Alcoholics want to escape completely into their addiction, which drinking enables them to do. As a result, alcoholics become largely unavailable to their relationships and responsibilities. People cannot be functional and participate in escapism at the same time. This leaves too heavy a burden on the person living with the alcoholic to be responsible in their place.

Alcohol costs money. In fact, alcoholism is a very expensive habit. A majority of alcoholics end up with financial issues because they will invest financially into their addiction at all costs. This is obviously a strain on the person they are living with because they are forced to compensate for the alcoholics financial inadequacies.

It is only a matter of time before an alcoholic will develop health issues. Excessive alcohol is toxic to a person’s system and extended saturation in alcohol will make a body under perform and become diseased. Minor health problems caused by alcoholism included weight gain, lethargy, insulin problems and digestion issues. Major health problems caused by alcoholism include diabetes, cirrhosis of the liver and heart attack.

It is impossible to love an alcoholic correctly by enabling. If anything a person does for an alcoholic that gives them an opportunity to drink, they are enabling. Enabling harms an alcoholic, takes away their self esteem and keeps them dependent on their enabler. It is a very unhealthy cycle to be stuck in, for both parties. An alcoholic will never grow out of their alcoholism so long as they choose to remain dependent on their enabler. Someone has to break the cycle, and typically it has to be the enabler as they are the one who is not in the grasp of addiction.

Being firm on this point is difficult, as the alcoholic will try a number of tactics to get their enabler to comply with their desires, such as guilt trips, tears, anger, threats and more. Plus, there is often a genuine loving bond between an alcoholic and their enabler. Enabling someone does not mean you do not love them, it simply means you are not doing a good job of loving them.

Anyone who cares about an alcoholic knows there is nothing you want more for them than to stop drinking and feel whole. Unfortunately, it is not as easy as all that. Helping someone let go of alcohol is a very delicate process with no guaranteed outcome. A person can invest an incredible amount of love, time and energy into trying to help someone stop drinking, and it may not have any effect. This leaves the supporter devastated, angry and dejected. The question is, how do you support an alcoholic in a healthy way, without enabling, chastising or stigmatizing their addiction?

The answer is one that takes some careful consideration, even though it is fairly straightforward. Logically, it makes perfect sense, but applying it to your personal situation can present challenges. The key to supporting an alcoholic in a healthy manner is by offering to support them through recovery but refusing to take part in their addiction with them. This philosophy, when applied, will influence an addict in a positive direction ultimately, even if their initial reaction to it is one of anger.

Recognizing when you or a loved one has developed alcoholism can be confusing as there are mixed messages about what constitutes alcoholism in the media and in society. Those who believe in sobriety might fear any alcohol use at all, while those who defend the use of alcohol may excuse addictive behavior. Alcohol use is so prevalent that it is common to be desensitized to the very real physical, mental and social threats of alcoholism, but fortunately, substance abuse professionals have compiled a list of signs and symptoms so you can know when to seek treatment for yourself or a loved one in the fight against alcoholism. These signs include:

• Drinking in order to destress, to cope with a problem or to relax. Alcoholics often don’t feel normal unless they are drinking.
• Being unable to give up or limit alcohol consumption, even if the alcoholic is aware it is having a negative impact on their life
• Building a physical tolerance to the effects of alcohol and in turn consuming more of it, which is especially recognizable if the addicts level of consumption has noticeably increased.
• Being prone to black outs, or experiencing memory loss of something that happened while intoxicated. Alcoholism can affect other memories as well, even if the alcoholic wasn’t intoxicated at the time.
• Withdrawal symptoms take place when the alcoholic does not drink or limits the amount they drink; symptoms may include anxiety, depression, shaking, sweating, nausea and more
• Drinking becomes ritualistic and the alcoholic turns irritable toward anything that inhibits the ritual. Alcoholic will also become irritable if alcohol isn’t available.
• Encounters with the law have taken place as a result of inebriation, such as DUIs or disorderly conduct
• Work performace, school performance, finances, personal relationships and/or life obligatons are failing due to alcoholism, often paired with the reprioritizing of activities to place alcohol above all other matters
• Alcoholic is observed drinking alone, trying to hide their habit, or keeping alcohol hidden in their working or living space

The effects of alcoholism can be devastating, and you do not have to go through it alone. There are a variety of alcohol addiction treatment facilities that are able to house, counsel and rehabilitate addicts, restoring them to a healthy lifestyle. Contact a reputable rehabilitation center to learn more about treatment for alcoholism.

Rehabilitation for Alcoholism

You’ve read the articles, you know the warning signs, and you have come to the realization that you are an alcoholic. What comes next? First of all, congratulations on beating denial, one of the hardest stages for an addict to move out of. It is not uncommon for an alcoholic to go years without seeking treatment because they are either unaware of the problem or they don’t want to admit it to themselves or loved ones.

Now that you have confronted the truth, it is time to reach out for help. You will discover a variety of alcohol addiction rehabilitation treatment options, ranging from counseling to support groups, outpatient treatment to residential rehabilitation. Statistically speaking, residential rehabilitation, or inpatient addiction treatment, is the most successful and intensive. It involves the addict moving into the treatment center to be under surveillance as they begin their recovery, and submitting to the rules of the treatment center in order to maintain sobriety. Inpatient stays usually begin with a thorough, medically supervised detox to enure that you are in good health and thinking clearly about your recovery. Good quality alcohol addiction facilities will offer therapy sessions, counselling, group activities, therapeutic activities, meals, and after care, specializing in alcohol addiction. There are a range of inpatient treatment options located throughout the United States and Canada, such as rehab centers of CA, treatment facilities of NY and BC alcohol rehab and detox centers.

If inpatient treatment is not your preference, there are many other options available to you through outpatient treatment centers, support groups and addiction resource centers. Outpatient treatment centers can connect you with a specialist who will help you develop a recovery plan to execute in every avenue of your life. They can also provide you with counselling for your addiction and for underlying mental and medical issues, connect you with proper medical care for any side effects of alcoholism you are experiencing and help you obtain any medications you need in order to prevent a relapse. Support groups and sponsors are available to recovering addicts to keep the recovery network in tact, and involvement in spiritual groups are often encouraged to maintain sobriety. Whatever your preference may be, there is an alcohol addiction treatment program available for you.

What is Alcoholism?