Alcoholism is a disease and must be controlled. It does not mean that the alcoholic ceases to be an alcoholic: he will always be someone susceptible to relapse into excessive drinking . What you need to learn is to stay away from that harmful drink. To do this – in order for them to have the will power to maintain that distance – it is necessary for the affected person to accept that they have a problem.
If the problem of alcoholism is not accepted , it is very difficult to achieve any result. Keep in mind that therapy only directs the subject. It is the one who suffers from alcoholism who acts in order not to be hooked by this vice. But, for that, it is totally necessary to accept that you have a disorder.
So when people ask: how will an alcoholic who does not recognize him help ?; It happens that the first answer is ” make him understand that he has a problem .” Recognizing yourself as an alcoholic is a 100% necessary step in achieving that person’s recovery.
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An issue to consider: withdrawal syndrome
Quitting alcoholism is not easy. One of the causes of this difficulty is withdrawal syndrome . It happens that the body gets used to the presence of alcohol in the blood and metabolism. Therefore, when you stop drinking abruptly, the body becomes fresh.
What are the symptoms of withdrawal syndrome? Well, we have a state of anxiety. The person feels nervous, irritable, eager to return to the habit of drinking . This may point to a bad path: the addict returns to drinking, but does so with more intensity and despair.
A terrible thing about withdrawal syndrome is that it leads to a feeling of guilt . That is, the addict feels bad for having returned to ingesting alcohol. This dynamites your self-esteem. He is incubated with the idea that he is incapable of overcoming vice. The addict plunges into the quicksand of resignation. It is a difficult situation to get out of.
As a corollary to the withdrawal syndrome, we have a person who believes that there is no point in battling against his addiction. Surrendered, the alcoholic capitulates to drink . He drinks without caution, convinced that there is nothing he can do to break the habit of consuming liquor. It is one of the most complex phases of alcoholism to overcome.
Why Don’t Alcoholics Seek Help?
Answering this question implies verifying that alcoholism is a complex disease . It is not limited to one stage, but to several. In each of these phases, different reasons are collected that make people refuse to accept collaboration.
- The pre-alcoholic phase: it is considered that the person controls himself, but requires drinking to solve social situations. Also, to claim stress or anxiety. The person does not consider that they need help to prevent a possible alcoholism in the making.
- Initial phase of alcoholism: we have a person who drinks regularly. Spend time and resources on the vice. He considers it entertainment, something he spends time on because he likes it. He does not realize his problem and does not accept help of any kind.
- Critical phase: we already have an active alcoholic. He neglects his job, family and squanders his money on drinking. He is a person dependent on drink. In this case, drinking is not stopped since dependence is considered. The addict feels bad if he stops using alcohol.
- Chronic stage: you are already an addict with years anchored to addiction. A person who has experienced withdrawal symptoms. In this case, there is resignation. Help is not allowed as he considers that his case has no solution.
Due to the aforementioned, it happens that to help an alcoholic it is necessary to know in which stage he is located. It happens that the causes of denial of help differ in each case, as we show in the following list:
- Pre-alcoholic : the person does not consider himself an alcoholic, he does not consider that he needs collaboration.
- Initial alcoholic: you believe that drinking is entertainment, which is an exaggeration to believe that you have a problem.
- Critical alcoholic: refusal to stop drinking, as it is considered necessary. In case of leaving it, it is accepted that there are complicated consequences.
- Chronic alcoholic: help is not accepted since the alcoholic believes that there is no point in receiving it, since his case cannot be fixed.
As we can see, it happens that an alcoholic does not recognize his problem during the first two stages of his illness. At that stage it is mandatory to make sure that people are in the floodgates of a serious problem. Likewise, you must accept their condition.
How to make an alcoholic see reason?
It is not a simple thing! In addition, the situation is complicated when the alcoholic finds himself in an environment that catapults his vice. For example, if you are a regular visitor to social situations where alcohol is consumed. Also, if you are surrounded by people who encourage drinking: friends, family, co-workers, etc.
- Make the person see the difference between being sober and being drunk . Unfortunately, alcoholics do not recognize this difference.
- The environment must know that the person is in trouble . Many times, the family also suffers from denial about the matter.
- Do not blame or recriminate the alcoholic. You have to adopt an attitude of help and understanding.
- The addict must know the consequences of his alcoholism . If this does not happen, the addicted will not go to work to recover.
- Distance the addict from the situations that lead to drinking . Get away from the stimuli that catapult the drink.
- Are we guilty of addiction? Sometimes family members cause this problem without realizing it . An important way to help is to understand if you have a degree of responsibility in the matter.
- Congratulate on progress towards recovery . It is a way to encourage the continuity of the process.
For an alcoholic to recover, he must take on the challenge of getting ahead. It is important to indicate that the recovery is not instantaneous. It takes effort, will and patience . Precisely the slowness in getting ahead is a factor to consider. The ups and downs are frequent. Likewise, the alcoholic must know that he can always relapse. You must never let your guard down!
Other tips to help an alcoholic who does not accept his problem
Sometimes the reaction can be aggressive: whoever has the addiction feels aggrieved if they are accused of alcoholism. Therefore, this statement often needs to be made with due tact. Likewise, do not accuse the addict harshly. Do not say that you are guilty, but that you have a problem that requires collaboration.
Finally, professional help never hurts. When nothing seems to be in control, the alcoholic must agree to visit a psychologist and an expert in addiction treatment. It’s a way to get the support you need to get ahead. Above all; when there are latent, unconscious causes that launch the networks of vice on people.
Likewise, with the help of a therapist, strategies are developed so as not to relapse . Every alcoholic is capable of reiterating. Once you have stopped drinking, there is always the latent risk of returning to alcoholism. Therefore, it takes a lot of will and awareness of that possibility.
Alexa Clark specializes in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. She has experience in listening and welcoming in Individual Therapy and Couples Therapy. It meets demands such as generalized anxiety, professional, love and family conflicts, stress, depression, sexual dysfunction, grief, and adolescents from 15 years of age. Over the years, She felt the need to conduct the psychotherapy sessions with subtlety since She understands that the psychologist acts as a facilitator of self-understanding and self-acceptance, valuing each person's respect, uniqueness, and acceptance.