It is worthy of note to point out something that family members who have been harmfully affected by the alcoholism of another family member evidently do not realize. It appears that by shielding the alcohol dependent individual with lies and deceit to those outside the family, these well-intentioned family members have actually created a condition that makes it easier for the alcoholic to carry on and advance with his or her injurious, destructive daily life.

Without a doubt, rather than helping the alcoholic and themselves, these family members have essentially become enablers who have involuntarily helped negatively affect the alcohol addicted person’s drinking problem even further.

The Chances of a Relapse are Real

Another key alcoholism issue has to do with alcohol relapses.  Relapses take place when an alcohol dependent individual has effectively undergone alcohol dependency rehab and then returns to drinking a number of weeks or months later.  At first thought, this circumstance flies in the face of sound thinking and sounds so unbelievable that it forces an individual to question why anyone who has experienced the wretchedness of alcohol dependency can return to drinking a short while after successful alcohol treatment and in turn after achieving sobriety.  There are, for sure, many reasonable reasons for this.

It should be explained, conversely that alcohol dependency research that has focused on the long-term outcomes of alcohol addiction has revealed that long after the alcoholic has terminated his or her drinking, fundamental transformations in the way in which the alcoholic’s brain functions are still present. As a result, all a recovering alcohol dependent person has to do to involve himself or herself in actions that correspond with the modifications that have taken place in the brain is to start drinking again.

The Necessity for An Important Lifestyle Transformation

There are other reasons why quite a few recovering alcohol addicted individuals return to drinking a few weeks or a few months after achieving sobriety. In accordance to the alcoholism research literature, to make a successful recovery, the alcohol dependent individual needs new ways of reacting and thinking in order to deal more successfully 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 person was drinking irresponsibly; or familiar songs, smells, or activities—all of these circumstances can bring about memories that can set off psychological stress or push hot buttons that influence the recovering alcohol dependent individual to engage in abusive drinking once again. Regrettably, all of these situations may not only get in the way of long standing sobriety for the alcohol addicted person but they can also lead to relapse and thus cancel out one’s sobriety.

Summary

In an attempt to “protect” the family alcohol dependent person, family members can actually cause unintentional damage by enabling the harmful drinking behavior of the alcohol dependent individual.

The drug abuse research literature demonstrates the fact that most people who successfully complete alcohol rehabilitation experience at least one relapse. Alcohol addicted persons and their family members need to know this so that they do not get down in the dumps or beleaguered when a relapse manifests itself.

Fortunately, taking part in support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous and follow-up rehab and training have resulted in more successful, long lasting alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction therapeutic outcomes, have helped decrease alcohol relapses, and have helped recovering alcoholics achieve lasting alcohol recovery.