These advances could optimize how treatment decisions are made in the future. While supporting someone with an alcohol addiction, it’s vital to take care of your own mental and emotional well-being. Setting healthy boundaries is important to prevent burnout and ensure that you can support for alcoholics continue to offer support without compromising your own health.

Supported living

Approach your loved one when sober to have a more clear conversation. Someone struggling with alcoholism may not see these signs as a problem, so drug addiction you can’t always just confront them about their problems. Communicate with CompassionYour loved one may feel ashamed, defensive, or isolated. Instead, share your observations, express concerns, and reassure them of your support. Choose supportive and non-judgmental language that encourages open dialogue.

• Even if your loved one refuses treatment, we can help you find resources to lay healthy boundaries and support them in a meaningful way.
• Balancing encouragement with accountability increases the likelihood of positive outcomes.
• When someone you love is struggling with alcohol abuse, it can be very difficult to approach them about their issues.
• Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) – Learn more about AA’s 12 steps and find a support meeting in your area.
• Instead, express your concerns, feelings, and thoughts about the situation to show compassion and love for them.
• This method addresses the physical, psychological, and social aspects of addiction, increasing the chances of long-term recovery.

#7: Do Not Use Your Love, Comfort, or Their Past Against Them

When you approach them, you don’t want to create more issues or have them feel like you’re attacking them. In many cases, you have to be very careful about how to talk to them about their alcoholism. Alcohol use disorder is a spectrum that can range from mild to severe. Alcoholism is considered the most severe form of alcohol use disorder, with a person being unable to control their drinking habits.

BPD and Alcoholism: What Makes Someone Struggle With Both?

• Learning about addiction can help you approach people with compassion, not judgment.
• But don’t make hollow threats or set rules that you cannot enforce.
• Explore the opioid epidemic and drugs in America — understand addiction and discover paths to recovery.
• Below are samples of e-health tools developed with NIAAA funding.
• Join 40,000+ People Who Receive Our Newsletter Get valuable resources on addiction, recovery, wellness, and our treatments delivered directly to your inbox.
• While it’s important to be open and honest about your concerns, you need to remember that you cannot force someone to stop abusing alcohol.

It’s about being there for them without taking on the burden of their recovery. If you or someone you love is struggling with alcohol addiction, know that help is available and recovery is possible. Reach out to professionals at Vanguard Behavioral Health who can guide you through these challenging times, and remember, you’re not alone in this journey. Learn more about substance use disorder, interventions, treatment methods and mental health terms to use, and which to avoid. And recognize that now is not the time to nag or lecture your loved one about what they should have done in the past or how things could have been better.

Approaching the Conversation

Because AUD is a chronic, relapsing disorder, persistence is key. It is rare that someone would go to treatment once and then never drink again. More often, people try to quit or cut back over time, experience recurrences, learn from them, and then continue on their recovery journey.