It is interesting to point out something that family members who have been unfavorably affected by the alcohol dependency of another family member clearly do not understand. It seems that by shielding the alcohol dependent individual with untruths and deceit to those outside the family, these well-intentioned family members have essentially created a situation that makes it easier for the alcoholic to continue and go forward with his or her unsafe, detrimental lifestyle.

To be sure, instead of helping the alcohol addicted individual and themselves, these family members have in reality become enablers who have unintentionally helped deteriorate the alcohol dependent person’s drinking problem even further.

Perhaps the real downside of this is that the alcohol addicted person will continue drinking in an excessive and irresponsible manner and go through a variety of “alcohol side effects.” Some of these side effects include employment difficulties, poor health, deteriorating relationships, diminished mental functioning, legal issues (such as getting arrested for one or more DUIs), and considerable financial problems.

Relapses Can and Do Occur From Time to Time

According to the research literature and statistics on alcohol dependency, another key alcohol addiction issue concerns alcohol relapses. Relapses take place when an alcohol dependent individual has successfully undergone alcoholism treatment and then resorts to drinking a number of weeks or months later. At first thought, this predicament flies in the face of logical thinking and sounds so far-fetched that it forces one to question why anyone who has lived through the dreadfulness of alcoholism can return to drinking a short while after effective alcohol rehabilitation and in turn after reaching recovery. There are, without a doubt, more than a few rational reasons for this.

It should be highlighted, however that alcoholism research that has centered on the long standing effects of alcohol dependency has demonstrated-proven that long after the alcohol addicted individual has quit his or her drinking, significant transformations in the way in which the alcoholic’s brain functions are still present. As a result, all a recovering alcohol dependent individual has to do to involve himself or herself in actions that correspond with the modifications that have occurred in the brain is to begin drinking again.

The Necessity for An Essential Lifestyle Modification

There are other reasons why quite a lot of recovering alcohol addicted persons 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 addicted individual needs new ways of responding and thinking in order to deal more competently with difficult alcohol-related situations that will take place.

Situations such as returning to the same alcohol addictive atmosphere or to the same geographic location; interacting once again with friends from the time when the alcohol dependent person was drinking abusively; or familiar songs, smells, or activities—all of these situations can bring forth memories that can trigger psychological anxiety or push hot buttons that influence the recovering alcohol addicted individual to engage in hazardous drinking once again. Regrettably, all of these circumstances may not only work against ongoing alcohol recovery for the alcohol dependent person but they can also result in relapse and consequently negate one’s alcohol recovery.

The Good News: There’s a Lot of Hope for a Lasting Recovery

In an attempt to “protect” the family alcoholic, family members can essentially cause unintended harm by enabling the unhealthy drinking behavior of the alcoholic.

The alcohol abuse research literature demonstrates the fact that most individuals who successfully complete alcohol treatment go through at least one relapse. Alcohol dependent persons and their family members need to know this so that they do not get dejected or overwhelmed when a relapse occurs.

Luckily, involvement in support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous and follow-up therapy and education have resulted in more effective, ongoing alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction therapeutic results, have helped decrease alcohol relapses, and have helped recovering alcohol dependent persons achieve enduring alcohol recovery.

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