If your child has just begun to show signs of a problematic relationship with alcohol, standing by is rarely an option. This is also true if they have been struggling for a while.
Watching from the sidelines is not enough. But how can you step in without enabling or damaging the relationship further? We’ll cover effective steps parents can take to encourage recovery without overstepping boundaries.
The Rise in Alcohol Consumption
Alcohol consumption has become a major part of social and cultural life around the world in recent decades. What was once an occasional indulgence has become a near-daily habit for many. Whether it’s having a beer after work, wine with dinner, or cocktails on a night out, drinking has permeated lifestyle and leisure activities.
Surveys by the polling group Gallup show that over 60% of adults in the US say they enjoy an alcoholic beverage occasionally.
Interestingly, the percentage of drinkers was actually even higher back in the 70s, peaking at 71%. While most adults drink, it’s not as widespread as it once was.
Some groups are more likely to drink than others. Those in their 30s to 50s, college grads, higher-income households, and people who attend church less frequently reported higher rates of alcohol use.
The pandemic magnified issues with drinking for many. The head of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism stated that COVID-19 highlighted the need for support in addressing alcohol misuse. He told STAT that the pandemic also underscored the importance of assistance for those with alcohol use disorder (AUD).
AUD impacts over 29 million Americans aged 12 and older as of 2022 data. It refers to a medical condition in which drinking leads to health, social, or legal issues. Despite these problems, a person finds themselves unable to reduce their consumption.
As per the Pew Research Center, the NIAAA director emphasized that AUD and alcohol misuse create a significant burden on the healthcare system. This is due to their connections to various diseases and health conditions.
Tackling problematic drinking habits at a societal level is now a rising public health priority.
Tips for Helping Your Adult Child With Drinking Issues
Supporting an adult child with drinking issues is challenging, but your involvement can play a crucial role in their recovery. Here are some compassionate, practical tips to help:
Stop Counterproductive Parenting
One common parenting mistake is enabling children’s problematic behaviors. Enabling occurs when a parent attempts to fix an issue in a way that prevents the child from developing responsibility. This happens when parents shield children from the natural impacts of their own actions. Parents of addicted children often enable well-meaningly, but it serves to perpetuate rather than solve issues.
Types of enabling include hiding a child’s behaviors from others and making excuses for them. It also involves financially bailing them out of difficulties, giving undeserved money or jobs, and blaming outside sources.
Other forms include distancing to avoid stress, making inconsistent threats of consequences, and taking on responsibilities the child should handle themselves.
An expert told HuffPost that the enabling strategy can harm both parent and child. It causes parents to neglect their needs while over-attending their child’s. Feelings of guilt may factor into enabling decisions as well. For the child, it traps them in destructive cycles and reliance on others instead of self-sufficiency.
While short-term damage control helps, long-term enabling allows problematic choices without real repercussions. This supports the misconception that problems aren’t serious. Another expert warned that continually shielding a person from natural results promotes entitlement to personal growth. Real-world impacts supply the motivation to change behaviors.
Rather than solving issues, parents are better at helping children build accountability through experience. Responsibility develops when facing life’s ups and downs independently rather than repeated bailouts. The goal is empowering self-reliance, not perpetuating dependence.
Seek Professional Support
Working with an addiction professional can help make an intervention effective. Professionals like counselors, social workers, psychologists, psychiatrists, or intervention specialists understand addiction and can guide the process. They will evaluate the situation and recommend the best approach and treatment plan.
The intervention sometimes happens at the professional’s office. Having expert support is generally advised. It may be especially important if the person has a mental illness history, violence history, recent suicidal thoughts, or takes multiple substances. A professional can help keep everyone on track and ensure safety.
Reaching out to a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) is one option. FNPs provide important assistance to adults struggling with alcohol issues through medical care, counseling, and motivation toward healthier choices.
They can conduct brief interventions to discuss consequences, set reduction goals, and encourage treatment when needed. This accessible option addresses both individual and community health. You can trust their credibility, as they hold degrees from accredited universities, whether through offline or online family nurse practitioner programs.
Public health FNPs specifically focus on population well-being. Baylor University says that through roles like disease prevention, health education, and policy work, they aim to improve social justice, equity, and community outcomes.
Services may involve assessment, planning, research, advocacy, and partnering with other organizations to assess needs and promote welfare. Their training and roles benefit both individuals and the overall public health mission.
Support Recovery Through Understanding and Compassion
When seeking treatment, forgiveness is key. Addiction causes people to act in hurtful ways that don’t reflect who they truly are. If your child is getting help, the greatest gift is showing forgiveness for past mistakes. Make clear you understand the role addiction played in their actions.
Moving forward productively requires a fresh start. Don’t dwell on previous issues, but instead focus on building a better future. If family therapy is recommended, fully participate to strengthen relationships and learn new communication skills. The goal isn’t blame or accusations, but open discussion to support one another going forward. Entering treatment with a wiped slate allows for real healing to begin.
FAQs
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What are the last stages of alcoholism?
A: In the final stages of alcoholism, severe health problems can develop due to organ damage. This may include jaundice from liver failure along with fatigue, swelling, skin itching, and bleeding issues. Overall health declines sharply.
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What are the distinctive traits of alcoholism?
A: There are four key elements that specifically characterize addiction. These include a compulsion to use despite negative consequences, craving the substance, an inability to control intake, and impacts on one’s life and relationships. Together, these capture what makes addiction a distinct medical condition.
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What percentage of people recover from being an alcoholic?
A: Various studies have found that about half of alcoholics achieve long-term sobriety. Another 25% see significant improvement in managing their drinking and its effects on their lives through treatment and recovery support programs. Determined recovery is clearly possible for many.
For any family, dealing with a loved one’s alcoholism is never uncomplicated. While patience and determination may be tested at times, maintaining hope, compassion, and willingness to seek help from professionals can make all the difference.
With understanding and commitment to recovery, families can overcome even the most challenging of addictions together.
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