It is remarkable to point out something that family members who have been adversely affected by the alcoholism of another family member apparently do not realize. It seems to be that by protecting the alcohol dependent person with lies and deceitfulness to those outside the family, these well-intentioned family members have in reality created a circumstance that makes it easier for the alcohol dependent person to carry on and press forward with his or her unsafe, destructive lifestyle.

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

Relapses Can and Do Transpire

Another key alcohol addiction issue has to do with alcohol relapses. Relapses take place when an alcohol dependent individual has successfully undergone alcoholism rehabilitation and then returns to drinking a number of weeks or months later. At first glance, this circumstance flies in the face of sound thinking and appears to be so improbable that it forces one to question why anyone who has experienced the awfulness of alcohol dependency can return to drinking a short while after successful alcohol treatment and in turn after reaching recovery. There are, for sure, numerous reasonable reasons for this.

It should be highlighted, however that alcohol addiction research that has focused on the enduring consequences of alcohol addiction has revealed that long after the alcohol addicted person has halted his or her drinking, significant transformations in the way in which the alcohol dependent person’s brain functions are still present. As a consequence, all a recovering alcohol dependent person has to do to involve himself or herself in behaviors that correspond with the modifications that have come about in the brain is to engage in drinking once again.

The Necessity for A Radical Lifestyle Transformation

There are additional reasons why several recovering alcohol dependent individuals return to drinking a few weeks or a few months after reaching sobriety. In accordance to the alcohol addiction research literature, to make an effective recovery, the alcohol dependent person needs new ways of reacting and thinking in order to deal more successfully with taxing alcohol-related situations that will take place.

Issues 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 individual was drinking abusively; or familiar songs, smells, or activities—all of these situations can bring about memories that can set off psychological stress or push hot buttons that influence the recovering alcohol addicted person to engage in excessive drinking once again. Sadly, all of these situations may not only work against long standing alcohol recovery for the alcohol dependent person but they can also lead to relapse and as a result negate one’s alcohol recovery.

Conclusion

In an attempt to “protect” the family alcohol addicted individual, family members can in fact cause unplanned destruction by enabling the unsafe drinking behavior of the alcoholic.

The substance abuse research literature demonstrates the fact that most individuals who effectively complete alcohol rehabilitation experience at least one relapse. Alcohol dependent individuals and their family members need to know this so that they do not get dejected or stressed out when a relapse takes place.

Luckily, participation in support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous and follow-up treatment and training have resulted in more successful, long-term alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency therapeutic results, have helped decrease alcohol relapses, and have helped recovering alcohol dependent persons accomplish enduring sobriety.

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