| If you suspect a family member may have a drinking | | | | Make sure you are all in agreement that there is a |
| problem, it is probably affecting everyone in your | | | | problem and that it needs to be dealt with. It will be |
| home. If a spouse is drinking too much, they may be | | | | important as you deal with the problem to know that |
| neglecting the children, or worse, mistreating them with | | | | each of you supports one another. There can be |
| abuse. If an adolescent or adult child is the one with the | | | | moments when confronting the problem that it can be |
| drinking problem, it may deflect the attention of the | | | | tough to stick to your guns and if you know your |
| parents from siblings to the troubled child, it may result | | | | whole family is backing you up, it will give you the |
| in dangerous situations, or it may create strife between | | | | strength to continue forward. Once you have come |
| the parents. Sometimes, it can be difficult if one parent | | | | together as a family to deal with the problem, you can |
| recognizes the drinking problem of a child before the | | | | determine the best way to approach the trouble |
| other parent is ready to accept it. In other cases, one | | | | member of the family. |
| parent may want to help the child and the other may | | | | It is important to prepare yourself for confrontation. |
| lose patients and be dealing with anger. The tension | | | | Some people choose to rely on the help of a |
| between spouses can be just as strained if it is one of | | | | professional when confronting their trouble relative. |
| them with the drinking problem. There are numerous | | | | Others do research and are able to work it out on |
| emotions involved in relationships that are forced to | | | | their own. All alcoholics will have their own way of |
| deal with alcoholism. If your family is struggling with a | | | | coping with the confrontation, but there is a good |
| family member who drinks too much, you may need | | | | chance they will be offended and feel attacked when |
| professional support like East County marriage | | | | confronted. They have been lying to themselves about |
| counseling. Couples who are planning their nuptials but | | | | the problem for a long time, and they may not be |
| who are faced with alcoholism may want to explore | | | | ready to accept the truth just because their family |
| East County premarital counseling. Professional help | | | | members are announcing it to them. Their acceptance |
| can assist loved ones in finding new ways of | | | | may take awhile and it may require more than a |
| communicating, whether or not there is a problem. | | | | confrontation from family members to open their eyes |
| Their assistance is even more beneficial when couples | | | | to the problem. In many cases, the best you can do is |
| are looking for ways to cope with drinking problems. | | | | be honest with your relative and give them tangible |
| The first thing you should do if you suspect someone | | | | consequences, making sure you do not allow yourself |
| in your household has a problem with alcohol is speak | | | | to be taken advantage of or that you do not let your |
| with those family members who are not the alcoholic. | | | | own self-respect waver. |