Recovery is typically a long-term process with potential setbacks, requiring ongoing patience and support. But if you or someone you know is showing signs of denial, don’t feel discouraged. The NIAAA Alcohol Treatment Navigator is a great tool that provides more information about alcohol use disorder, how to find treatment, and how to find support. Sometimes, it may be easier for your loved one with alcohol use disorder to avoid talking about it completely. Having this conversation may feel daunting, but it’s an important step.

Understanding Alcoholism

Another way an alcoholic may avoid the problem at hand is to blame others. This is a chronic medical condition that changes a person’s brain chemistry. As such, it also affects a person’s behaviour and emotional well-being. For someone in denial, the consequences and reality of the situation are hard to face. Stick to “I feel concerned when you insert behaviour because insert impact or worry you have” amphetamine addiction treatment statements and show them how their actions have negatively impacted you.

If your loved one doesn’t accept help

This can help the person with AUD feel more at ease and might help them accept that they need treatment for their alcohol use. If someone you love is refusing care, contact an addiction provider or emergency services for guidance. People with alcohol use disorder benefit from timely care, yet they may face dangerous withdrawal.

When you’re hiding your drinking — or how it makes you feel

You don’t have how to help an alcoholic in denial to navigate this journey alone—reach out for help when needed, and take it one step at a time. While supporting an alcoholic in denial, it’s imperative to not overlook your own needs. Preserving personal well-being can be accomplished by establishing healthy boundaries and seeking support through groups such as Al-Anon and therapy. To help without enabling, set clear boundaries that discourage harmful behaviors. Avoid covering for their actions, making excuses for them, or assisting them in ways that make it easier to continue unhealthy drinking patterns.

Get Help from Luxe Recovery for Professional Support

Instead, express genuine concern for their wellbeing and offer your support for getting help. Therapy and counseling are pivotal elements in the treatment and recovery process for individuals with AUD. The therapeutic alliance, which refers to the collaborative relationship between a client and therapist, is a significant predictor of treatment outcomes. Research indicates that a strong therapeutic alliance can lead to decreased substance use and related problems during and after treatment. Recent advances in treatment include integrating psychological and psychiatric interventions into care plans and exploring new pharmacological targets for AUD.

There are many factors that can contribute to developing alcohol use disorder, such as stress, trauma, abuse, or any number of other circumstances. Contact us today to see how our extensive treatment options can support your loved one today. While no two situations are the same, there are some large key factors you can use to identify if your loved one’s behavior is problematic to the point of addiction. Reframe supports you in reducing alcohol consumption and enhancing your well-being. First, the reasons to drink might sound more like reasons to celebrate. (“It’s trivia night! It’s Margarita Wednesday at the bar!”) Then excuses and justifications start coming up.

• According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIH), approximately 14.5 million Americans aged 12 or older have alcohol use disorder.
• Alcoholism can be a way of self-medicating to cope with the symptoms of a mental health disorder.
• The person can’t or won’t see that their drinking is out of hand and they need substance abuse treatment.
• No one wants to watch a loved one experience AUD or any other health condition.
• Thanks for reaching out to us, someone from our team will get in touch with you soon to help.

It’s about stating how you feel, the impact of someone’s behaviour on you, and making a request for what happens next. It can be extremely tough to stand by and watch someone you love struggle with an alcohol problem, especially one they don’t seem to know they have. It’s also incredibly challenging trying to help someone in denial about their alcohol use and its impacts.