How Do I Know I’m Living with an Alcoholic?

No one wants to see someone in their family be taken down the road to a life of alcoholism, but sadly, it happens all too often in the United States, as well as around the rest of the world. If you suspect that someone you love is hitting the bottle more often than normal and might need some help, then you’re not alone. 

If you suspect your loved one is an alcoholic or is on the path to becoming an alcoholic, it is only natural for you to want to intervene and help them get back on the right track. Alcohol addiction can hurt or even break apart families and can render people who were once full of life into completely different people. Fortunately, help exists in the form of rehab and therapy. 

In order for you to help encourage your loved one to seek the help they need to get clean from alcohol, however, they first have to recognize they have a problem and want to go for themselves. Rehab is very rarely something you can force someone into, so helping your loved one see the benefits of alcohol rehab is one great way to encourage them to seek help.

Recognizing the Signs

Before you can begin encouraging your loved one to seek the help they need, though, you need to first be able to recognize the signs of alcoholism. It is usually quite obvious and not too difficult to spot to the trained eye, but nevertheless, here are some signs you should keep in mind if you can expect your loved one is becoming an alcoholic: 

• Experiencing blackouts or reporting frequent memory loss

If your loved one seems to be forgetting recent things very often, this is one of the biggest signs that they may be drinking too much. Short-term memory loss is often brought on by excessive alcohol consumption. 

• Isolation and not talking with friends

If your loved one is talking to friends and family less and less and not hanging out as often as they used to, they could be distancing themselves because of a problem with alcohol.

• Making excuses to drink

If your loved one seems to be looking for a reason to drink constantly, such as for relaxation or for feeling stressed out, then this could be another clear sign of alcoholism. 

If your loved one is exhibiting any of these signs, you should attempt to encourage them to seek help. While you won’t be able to force them, let them know you care about them and want to see them live a healthy life, not one isolated and in a constant drunken state. Let your loved one know you have their back and will help them on every step of their journey to sobriety, and hopefully, they will feel compelled to change.