It is remarkable to mention something that family members who have been adversely affected by the alcoholism of another family member apparently do not comprehend. It seems to be that by protecting the alcoholic with untruths and deceitfulness to those outside the family, these well-intentioned family members have in reality created a condition that makes it easier for the alcohol dependent individual to persevere and go forward with his or her unsafe, devastating lifestyle.

Without a doubt, instead of helping the alcohol dependent individual and themselves, these family members have in fact become enablers who have involuntarily helped deteriorate the alcohol addicted person’s drinking problem even further.

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

Relapses Can and Do Happen

According to the research findings and statistics on alcohol dependency, another key alcohol addiction issue has to do with alcohol relapses. Relapses take place when an alcohol dependent individual has successfully gone through alcohol dependency rehab and then resorts to drinking a number of weeks or months later. At first glance, this situation seems contradictory to sound thinking and appears to be so improbable that it forces an individual to question why anyone who has experienced the horrors of alcohol dependency can return to drinking a short while after successful alcohol rehabilitation and in turn after achieving sobriety. There are, to be sure, many plausible reasons for this.

It should be explained, then again that alcoholism research that has centered on the lasting outcomes of alcoholism has demonstrated-proven that long after the alcoholic has halted his or her drinking, key transformations in the way in which the alcohol addicted individual’s brain operates are still present. As a result, all a recovering alcohol dependent person has to do to involve himself or herself in behaviors that correspond with the transformations that have taken place in the brain is to begin drinking again.

The Necessity for A Far Reaching Lifestyle Modification

There are additional reasons why numerous recovering alcohol dependent individuals return to drinking a few weeks or a few months after achieving sobriety. In accordance to the alcohol addiction research literature, to make a successful recovery, the alcohol addicted person needs new ways of responding and thinking in order to deal more efficiently with challenging alcohol-related circumstances that will take place.

Circumstances 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 excessively; or familiar songs, smells, or activities—all of these situations can bring about memories that can trigger psychological anxiety or push hot buttons that influence the recovering alcoholic to engage in excessive drinking once again. Sadly, all of these situations may not only contradict long lasting sobriety for the alcohol addicted individual but they can also lead to relapse and thus work against 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 actually cause inadvertent damage by enabling the harmful drinking behavior of the alcohol addicted person.

The addiction research literature confirms the fact that most individuals who effectively complete alcohol treatment experience at least one relapse. Alcohol dependent persons and their family members need to know this so that they do not get down in the dumps or stressed out when a relapse manifests itself.

Luckily, participation in support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous and follow-up therapy and training have resulted in more effective, enduring alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency therapeutic outcomes, have helped decrease alcohol relapses, and have helped recovering alcohol dependent persons achieve enduring sobriety.

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