What I am about to share with you works wonders when dealing with all types of alcoholics. These few methods of coping with a problem drinker are like small drops in a big bucket compared to the storehouse of knowledge available on this subject.
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For starters, I had an addiction to alcohol and have been sober for over thirteen years. I grew up with parents who both had drinking problems. In fact, mom went in and out of treatment centers and hospitals for eleven years before she finally stayed sober through participating in the Alcoholics Anonymous program. My ex had a horrible addiction to prescription pills and alcohol. I know exactly what it is like being addicted to this substance and how frustrating our lives can be when dealing with an addict.
Through all of the above real-life experiences and the fact that I’ve attended literally thousands of alcoholism support group meetings, I am well qualified to speak on this subject. Everything that I mention in this article, I’ve applied to my own life. These ideas really will work for you!
Ways of Coping With Alcoholics
Accept that lying is one of the major characteristics of most problem drinkers and stop confronting the lies. They will only deny what the truth of the situation is anyway. So, save yourself from having to experience additional aggravation in your day.
Realize that you have become obsessed with their behaviors and are losing yourself in the process.
Alcoholics are not dependable, so don’t expect them to be. The less expectations you have of them- the fewer resentments you will have to deal with.
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Understand that you cannot control their drinking habits.
You can only control how you respond to what they are doing.
Have a backup plan when you are planning to do something with them in case they cancel.
NEVER argue with a drunk.
Stop going through their things. They have a right to their privacy and so do you.
I could fill this page with ways of dealing with alcoholics…
There are some things you must realize, you cannot make them quit and you will never be able to control their drinking habits or behaviors. From the time an addict awakens until they fall asleep, all they can think about is finding the next drink to get them intoxicated. The thoughts the brain puts out to fuel their addiction are relentless.
Perhaps you’ve heard it before; “an alcoholic won’t quit until they hit bottom.” They must reach this point on their own. If you find a few AA meetings to attend, you will hear story-after-story of how people finally hit bottom.
Granted, there have been some people who have been court appointed (forced) to attend AA meetings and during the process realized they had a drinking problem. Even in cases like those, the order from the judge was instrumental in helping them realize they had a major problem with alcohol.
Nothing that you or I do will force them to quit drinking.
We can demand that they quit and they won’t. We can scream at the top of our lungs that they are ruining their lives and still they continue to drink. I’ve even poured the Vodka down the drain and moments later they were racing to the store to get more.
The above suggestions are all for OUR benefit since nothing that you or I do or say will make them quit. If you can adopt the mindset that since they are not going to change, you MUST, you can reduce anxiety, cut the chains of depression off and find inner peace again.
I know…you thought I was going to tell you how to make them stop drinking, right?
There’s one thing I really want you to get a hold of here, you only have control over your own life. When you decide to begin to learn how to let go of the alcoholic and change the way you interact with them, then I promise you will start living a happier life.
Right now your focus is on everything that they are doing all of the time. You are obsessed, frustrated, disappointed and fearful. You get angry over the events of today, yesterday and worry about tomorrow. All of those things I just mentioned are directly related to how you are dealing with alcoholics in your life.