How to Get a Person to Get Help for Alcoholism

Alcohol, in moderation, can enhance social occasions and ease inhibitions, but for some people, it does not stop there. People who struggle with alcoholism find themselves tangled in alcohol's web, drinking far beyond reasonable limits and needing to drink more and more. When someone you know and care about is drinking too much, it can be difficult to handle, but you can get the person help for his alcoholism. Helping someone get treatment takes courage, dedication and a lot of love.

Instructions

• 1

  Create a list of treatment options like Alcoholics Anonymous, detoxification centers, addiction therapists or other treatments in your area. Visit the AA website, use online search engines or talk to your family doctor to find local treatment options. AA hosts meeting for friends and family members of alcoholics call Alanon. Going to these meetings is a great place to get advice and treatment options from people who have been in your situation.

• 2

  Express your concern in a one-on-one talk with your friend or loved one. Ask him if he believes he has a problem with drinking and tell him that you believe he does. Direct him to a web questionnaire like Alcohol Screening or Counseling Resource to show him the extent of his drinking.

• 3

  Set up an intervention meeting with friends, relatives or other concerned people. Invite your loved one to a location without describing the full nature of the meeting. Set it up as a dinner or a get-together at a private location like someone's home. At the intervention, everyone should express their love and worries about her drinking. Most importantly, they should tell her that they want her to get help and what they will do if she does not do something about her drinking. Present her with the options you researched.

• 4

  Listen carefully and honestly to his self-assessments. Often, alcoholics have grand illusions of elegance, charm or social drinking that blind them from the reality of their drinking. Discuss instances where drinking has hurt somebody or the drinker himself.

• 5

  Help the person with treatment, but do not become a crutch. A person must genuinely want to quit drinking. Offer to drive to Alcoholics Anonymous meetings or have frequent talks to discuss problems and concerns.