| Very often when an alcoholic has reached their lowest | | | | enabling) then it can take the addict that much longer |
| point, their so-called bottom, they will only then be | | | | to reach the place where they realize they can not |
| ready to enter a drug rehab facility. Why is this? Why | | | | achieve sobriety on their own. They must ask for help, |
| must an alcoholic be humbled before they are willing to | | | | and usually as a result of this, they find themselves in a |
| ask for help. It is not because they do not want it. In | | | | drug and alcohol treatment center or rehab. In rehab |
| fact, the alcoholic or drug addict generally will do | | | | the alcoholic learns of the disease of alcoholism and |
| anything to change the path that they are on. The | | | | comes to regard themselves as person who can be |
| reason the alcoholic does not ask for help sooner is | | | | redeemed.. No matter how far down they have fallen, |
| because he or she believes that they can do it | | | | they will see new ways in which they can find |
| themselves. | | | | meaning in their life. |
| This is not entirely a bad thing. After all we live in a | | | | So, returning to enabling, the question becomes, how |
| culture were self-reliance is considered a much desired | | | | can the addict realize that he or she can not |
| attribute. And alcoholics, as a group, tend to have a | | | | overcome alcoholism alone when they have not been |
| healthy sense of pride. The fact of the matter entering | | | | allowed to fail. It becomes critical for the family and the |
| rehab can be considered a person's greatest failure. It | | | | friends of the alcoholic to stop covering up, stop |
| is them admitting that they can not succeed at life | | | | providing money, and stop taking actions to abet the |
| without help. | | | | using behavior. Usually, what happens when an |
| Or at least that is how it often is seen. Because the | | | | alcoholic is cut off they quickly enter a downward |
| alcoholic, in addition to having a healthy ego also carries | | | | spiral and within a short time, are finally willing to accept |
| with them a strong feeling of shame. It is an | | | | outside help. Now, you will need to explain to your |
| embarrassment that they have messed up their life. | | | | loved one that you will support them in going into |
| They feel it and it wears on them. But, the fact of the | | | | treatment. This is important because it is possible that |
| matter, is the alcoholic has not failed. As anyone with | | | | they can become so overwhelmed if they see no |
| any experience can attest, the alcoholic who has | | | | way out that they will consider doing something to |
| found sobriety sits on an entirely different perch than | | | | harm themselves. But once you've made the rehab |
| the individual who has yet to admit their drinking | | | | option available you need to get out of the way and |
| problem. An alcoholic with some sobriety or clean time | | | | allow them to fail to a certain degree. |
| under their belt views their condition as a disease that | | | | This may seem harsh, but the key to getting your |
| they were powerless to control. And they see their | | | | loved one to go to rehab is to let them see that so |
| so-called bottom as an inevitability that allowed them to | | | | long as alcohol and drugs remain a part of their lives, |
| reach a healthier place in life. It was, indeed, a | | | | they will not be successful. They will not achieve a |
| necessary evil. | | | | sense of fulfillment and will not get the help that they |
| So, the key to convincing an alcoholic to get help is to | | | | need. In the end, if you allow them to realize what they |
| let them fail. If a person (usually a family member or | | | | need on their own, then the results will be far greater |
| girlfriend/boyfriend) is propping them up, what we call | | | | for the alcoholic or addict and his or her family as well. |