Strategies for Families and Loved Ones Dealing with Alcoholism

Alcoholism can have a profound impact not only on individuals but also on their families. Coping with a loved one’s alcoholism can be challenging, but there are strategies that families can implement to navigate this difficult situation.

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Here are some effective approaches for dealing with loved ones struggling with alcoholism.

Education and Understanding

Educate yourself about alcoholism as a disease. Know more about its physical and psychological effects, stages of addiction, and available treatment options. Understanding alcoholism helps families approach their loved ones with care, empathy, compassion, and knowledge.

Open and Honest Communication

Create open lines of communication with your loved ones. Express concerns, feelings, and observations without judgment or blame. Support them so that they can share their struggles and emotions, fostering an environment of trust and understanding.

Set Boundaries

Establish clear boundaries and communicate them effectively. Let your loved ones know the consequences of their actions and behaviors. Boundaries protect the well-being of family members and create an atmosphere of accountability.

Encourage Professional Help

Encourage your loved one to seek professional help for their alcoholism. Offer support and assistance in finding suitable treatment programs, therapists, or support groups. Professional intervention can provide the necessary tools for recovery.

Seek Support for Yourself

Coping with a loved one’s alcoholism can affect family members. Seek support for yourself through counseling, therapy, or support groups specifically designed for families affected by addiction. Sharing experiences and gaining support from others can be immensely beneficial.

Practice Self-Care

Participate in self-care activities to maintain your own well-being. Prioritize your physical and emotional health by exercising regularly, pursuing hobbies, practising mindfulness, and taking breaks when needed.

Self-care equips you with the strength to support your loved one effectively.

Encourage Healthy Lifestyle Choices

Promote healthy habits and activities that do not involve alcohol. Encourage your loved one to exercise physically, pursue interests, and spend time with positive influences.

Creating a supportive environment helps divert focus from alcohol and promotes a healthier lifestyle.

Avoid Enabling Behaviors

Avoid enabling your loved one’s alcoholism by refusing to cover up their actions, make excuses, or engage in codependent behaviors. Encourage responsibility and accountability while maintaining healthy boundaries.

Dealing with a loved one’s alcoholism is challenging, but implementing these strategies can help families navigate this difficult situation. Remember that each person’s path to recovery is unique, and patience, empathy, and support are key.

Signs that an individual is alcoholic

One of the best ways to help an alcoholic is by recognizing them. If you don’t know how to identify an alcoholic, it might be difficult to help them.

Additionally, the signs of an alcoholic vary across different individuals. Although some of these signs are quite common than the rest.  

Here are some of the signs that a person is an alcoholic

Memory loss/Temporary blackouts

Some alcoholics experience memory loss from time to time. You will discover that they find it difficult to remember some things that happened until you make extra efforts to remind them.

If you realize that this occurrence is quite common, they might be struggling with alcohol addiction.

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Mood swings

Another sign that alcoholic individuals show is their mood swings. They might be extremely happy this moment and the next second, they are irritated and angry without any direct cause or explanation.

Isolation

Many alcoholics don’t like staying around people because of their condition. Some of them believe that they could be found out. Hence, staying on their own looks like the ideal solution.

Additionally, many addicts are used to stigmatization so they would rather keep to themselves instead of staying around people who might judge them in different ways.

Foul alcohol stench

One of the ways to identify an alcoholic is from the foul stench of their breath. You will discover that their breath will always reek of alcohol, especially after heavy drinking.

Weight loss

Some alcohol addicts usually experience weight loss from drinking excessively. This is because many of them prefer drinking to eating. They often experience appetite loss because of the intense alcohol intake.

Poor hygiene

Although not general, when you discover that an individual’s hygiene is below par, they are likely addicted to substances like alcohol. You will notice that they have dry skin and nails with more wrinkles on their skin.

After being able to identify some of these signs of addiction, it is important to proffer treatment suggestions for them, so that they can get their lives back on track.

Treating alcoholism in England

One of the biggest problems that treatment providers are struggling with in England is alcoholism.

According to a statistic from the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities, there was a 2% rise in the total number of adults receiving help for alcohol and drug problems between 2020-2021.

Regarding the reports, above a quarter of 1 million people were affected by alcohol-related problems. The sad part was, that the number of alcohol-related deaths increased by 44% to 1064.

When it comes to treating alcoholism in England, some productive measures can be implemented to ensure this.

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Prevention and awareness

Usually, the best form of treating any problem is to prevent it from happening. One of the proficient ways to treat alcoholism is to prevent people from becoming addicts or abusing alcohol.

This can be achieved by sensitizing people on what they stand to lose when they become full-blown alcoholics. When people know the damage that excessive alcohol does to them, they will become less likely to indulge in it.

Detoxification

For people who are already alcoholics, detoxification is a key step to helping them treat their alcohol addiction problem. Detoxification is the removal of unwanted substances in the body that accumulated as a result of alcohol intake.

Inpatient treatment

This is a treatment option for people who have misused alcohol intensely. Such individuals need to remain full-time at the rehab, detox center, or hospital to receive proper monitoring.

Outpatient treatment

During outpatient treatment, you only need to visit your therapist or health provider for treatment. You don’t have to remain within the confines of the health facility because your condition is either moderate or mild.

Medications

It is important to note that no medication can outrightly cure alcoholism. However, some medications can assist your recovery progress. During therapy, your healthcare provider will prescribe some medications that you can take to ease your recovery.

When it comes to treating alcoholism and recovering, it might take a long time. Therefore, you have to be patient with the process and carry your health provider along.

Alcohol consumption in England

Anyone who has an idea of history will know that people who live in England have a history of drinking and this dates back to several centuries ago.

The alcohol culture in England is not entirely negative, but a good number of them come with excessive habits that might be detrimental in the long run.

One of the reasons why alcohol consumption is prevalent in England is because it is very affordable, and this has made it very accessible. Alcoholism in England is one of the major reasons why there are crime rates.

England is known to have a tough struggle because the management of alcohol abuse is a tough one. There are a good number of methods of addiction treatment in England. They include group and individual interventions, rehabilitation and a host of others.

Currently, there are restrictions on alcohol availability and there are strict measures against those who drink before getting behind the wheels.

The concept of alcohol consumption in England does not imply that everyone is addicted to alcohol. Not everyone bows to the obsessive and compulsive need to use alcohol. When it comes to taking alcohol, a mental and physical illness known as Alcoholism can be induced.

This illness makes people to take alcohol without minding the negative consequences that comes with it.

People who take alcohol in bits are referred to as moderate drinkers and the chance of being addicted is less for them. For addicts, there is a more likely chance that they will experience certain problems like insomnia, reduced productivity, failed relationships and a host of others.

There are a good number of health problems that an addict could encounter if he or she does not fix his or her addiction problem. However, owing to the quality healthcare in England, people who are addicted just need to go to a rehab and receive treatments for a period of time.

If the consumption of alcohol can be reduced to a good extent in England, it would do the lives of people great good.

COMMON TYPES OF ADDICTION IN ENGLAND

Addiction is referred to as a behavioral pattern that comes with adverse consequences for the person.

A good number of persons think that addiction is for people who have an obsessive need and desire or a certain substance like alcohol, drugs and the likes. However, the fact is, it is possible to be addicted to anything that exists.

In England, just like other parts of the world, the most common types of addiction that exists are alcohol and drug addiction.

The fact is, people do not just become addicted to these substances instantly. It is a habit which develops overtime. From being an abuse to a full-fledged addiction.

Alcohol addiction is prevalent in England, and it has been known to cause a good number of health issues.

When individuals abuse alcohol, there is a likely chance that they would develop a psychological and physical dependence that means they would drink irrespective of the adverse consequences.

The same applies to drug addiction, it starts off with drug abuse before the individual becomes fully addicted to drugs.

There are other types of addiction in England such as sex addiction, internet addiction, gambling addiction, video gaming addiction, food addiction and a host of others.

These types of addiction are classified under behavioral addiction and people are usually oblivious to them. Some people are of the opinion that they are conventional activities that people just love.

The addiction process comes with a good number of vices that are detrimental to the society. This is why it is necessary for a state or country to put efforts in checkmating the incidences of addiction.

Effective measures must be put in place to make sure that addiction is reduced to the barest minimum.

Doing this is one of the ways of ensuring saner climes and a safe environment. In England, there are top-notch addiction treatment centers that handle addiction-related cases. If you are addicted or your loved one is, it is best to go in for treatment.

Exploring England’s Watering Holes

england alcohol problemsPubs are not unique to England, but they are perhaps more associated with England than with any other country. England’s history of pubs extends back many centuries. The term pub, short for “public house,” has been associated with centers of hospitality since long before the Roman Invasion of England, but during the Roman Invasion, a great deal of foot traffic made pubs a much more common business between the town sites of England. They were used as rest stops where weary soldiers and civilians could break from their routines for some relaxation and pleasure. Pubs would often consists of inn and brothel services as well as places of alcohol service.

Pub crawls are most associated with the historic pubs of England, but it is a tradition embraced around Europe between many historic pub sites. Pub tours or pub crawls are an old English tradition. Because England has such a rich history of pub culture, as well as a number of historic, old pubs, it has become a tradition to organize nights devoted to pub hopping among groups of people. Typically, this is an informal event arranged among a group of friends for occasions such as birthdays, bachelor parties, graduations and anniversaries. New Zealand residents began a tradition of crawling London pubs in an annual event called the Waitangi Day pub crawl that follows the main section of the transit system.

Though many places around the world have adopted the tradition of the pub crawl, England will always be considered the original site of the pub crawl. This tradition has inspired modern day pub crawls in places like the United States as well, such as the well known SantaCon pub crawl that began in San Francisco. Pub crawlers dress up as Santa Claus and hop the bars of a regional area. In 2012, there were 30,000 participants in the New York City SantaCon – a far cry from the humble pub crawls between friends of Europe. Pub crawling in England emerged from the country’s ancient tradition of providing hospitality and drink to weary travelers, long before the time of Geoffrey Chaucer.

Alcoholism Recovery in England

addiction counseling in EnglandEngland is experiencing an epidemic of alcoholism. Despite England’s long history with alcohol, as the years pass, alcoholism in England is increasing in severity. It is no longer seen as a harmless cultural facet, but rather a silent killer. Alcoholism is one of the three most deadly lifestyle choices in England, as well as smoking and obesity. Diseases of the liver are responsible for mortality rates in England in ever increasing numbers. Death statistics are including younger and younger alcoholics, those who engage in binge drinking and those who have other bad alcohol abuse habits. In order to fight back against this epidemic, health boards and mental health organizations in England are planning to target alcohol problems using six different angles:

  • Interventions with alcoholics are an important part of their recovery from alcoholism. Denial is the hallmark of alcoholism, causing alcoholics to avoid facing the truth about their condition. Interventions with a professional interventionist and loved ones serve to gently and lovingly help the alcoholic to admit to their condition and learn about treatment options.
  • Rehabilitation and addiction treatment are very important to ending the condition of alcoholism, particularly for severe alcoholics. This may come in the form of counseling, outpatient addiction treatment or inpatient addiction treatment. These methods have proven very successful for a great many struggling alcoholics.
  • The organization of local, grassroots support groups for alcoholics is very important to their ongoing success. This is not a professional level of treatment, but rather an ongoing, informal support system of other alcoholics who can share in their challenges and their glories in their battle for sobriety. This is a great follow up to professional treatment, or it can be a good alternative to professional treatment for those with less severe alcoholism.
  • Taking counter measures against drunk driving is very important to safe driving. This can include campaigns to inform the public, harsher drunk driving laws and an increased police presence to enforce drunk driving laws. Drunk driving is a universal cause of mortality and should be eliminated at any cost.
  • Tighter restrictions on the sales of alcohol help reduce alcoholism statistics by making it less available to consumers. This usually involves bringing more government regulation into alcohol sales.
  • Price increases on alcohol have long proven effective in reducing its sales by eliminating some of the temptation to purchase it.

Alcoholism in England

england alcoholismAnyone who takes an interest in the cultures of other countries knows that residents of England are known to have a drinking problem. England has a very old relationship with alcohol – one that dates back nearly 12,000 years. Not all of England’s alcohol practices are negative, but many of them are certainly determined to be excessive. Many people write off the drinking habits of the English calling it simply a part of their culture, but they are not aware of how out of control the situation has become, and how many deaths are annually attributed to alcohol consumption in England. To set facts straight, here are a number of statistics reflecting the reality of alcohol abuse in England.

  • Since 1980, alcohol has become over 60-percent more affordable, making it much more accessible to every income bracket.
  • The number of people who drink more than the recommended daily limit of alcohol in England is close to 10-million.
  • Alcoholism in England has major ramifications on the healthcare system, as well as on the crime rate and on lost productivity costs. The total estimated loss due to alcoholism is 21-billion pounds per year.
  • Alcohol related deaths in England rose by nearly 20-percent in 2001 to a staggering nearly 6,500 in 2012.
  • It is estimated that over 7-million people have no idea that their excessive drinking is doing irreparable damage to their health.
  • Smoking, obesity and alcohol are considered the three biggest lifestyle risks to English citizens. Alcohol alone accounts for 10-percent of the burden of disease and death within the United Kingdom.

Clearly, England has a long struggle ahead of it as a society to manage its alcohol abuse problems. There are a number of methods being proposed to assist in the treatment of alcohol problems in England, including interventions with alcoholics, rehabilitation and addiction treatment, the organization of local, grassroots support groups for alcoholics, taking counter measures against drunk driving, tighter restrictions on the availability of alcohol and a price increase on alcohol. With the implementation of one or all of these alcoholism reduction methods, England should see positive results in the future.

Culture and Tradition of Alcohol Consumption in England

england culture alcohol consumptionEngland has a bit of a world reputation for enjoying their alcohol. All of the United Kingdom is known for their pub and bar culture. In fact, there is perhaps no other culture in the world where it is more acceptable to spend excessive time in a pub or bar. This is not a result of widespread addiction and alcoholism, although those things are certainly present in England’s culture as well. England’s culture of drinking spans many centuries, even millenniums, back, and is present in the modern way they approach alcohol.

Arguably, the people who the British descended from could have been drinking alcohol as long as 12,000 years ago. Unearthed, ancient jugs that were meant for holding beer indicate this to us. Beer made from grains was the alcohol of choice for several millenia, and was associated with excessive binge drinking. In the 1st century AD, the Roman Invasion influenced the English popular culture toward moderation in drinking. Wine was more readily consumed lightly, with a meal, while beer was consumed for the purpose of becoming drunk. These two cultures or schools of thought have remained in England for centuries, however, England is notorious for its celebration of the “beer based thinking,” that alcohol is for binging in order to become very drunk. The weather could also play a factor, according to many mental health experts in England. For much of the year, England is very gray, promoting alcoholism as a means of coping with depression and lack of Vitamin D.

England’s history with alcohol affects the culture of its modern day residents in a number of ways. Drinking is more common and more acceptable in England than in many other regions of the world. This is a long evolved social acceptance and tolerance of drinking. Not only this, but alcoholism and alcohol tolerance can be linked to genetics. The longer alcohol consumption has been passed down genetically, the more genetically predisposed a person is to alcoholism and to alcohol cravings. As you can see, England’s relationship with alcohol has been many years in the making.

Visiting England

visit EnglandEngland is a country that many travelers across the world come to visit, not just because of England’s rich culture and history, but because of the prominent world standing that England has. Many regions of the world are familiar with English culture because of the far reach that English colonialism has had historically. The sites and experiences one can find in England are of a great deal of interest to many global citizens. There are a number of historic sites to visit in England, but among the most popular are:

  • The Tower of London. This remarkable historic site, formally known as Her Majesty’s Royal Palace and Fortress, has a complex, long-established history with England. Located in London on the River Thames, the tower was originally a castle and dwelling place for royalty in the 11th century. In the 10th century, the tower was converted into a prison which was used for over 800 years. Presently, it is one of England’s most popular tourist attractions and World Heritage Sites.
  • Westminster Abbey. This large, Gothic church located in Westminster, England is another well-visited tourist site. Its construction began in the 13th century, and since its creation, it has undergone a number of title changes, including church, abbey and cathedral. It is currently known as Royal Peculiar, meaning it is directly responsible to the Sovereign. It has been the site of many royal weddings, funerals and church attendances.
  • The Canterbury Cathedral. Located in Canterbury, England, this Christian structure is one of the oldest in England and is designated as a World Heritage Site. It was originally founded in the 6th century and was completely rebuilt in the 11th century, then restored after a fire in the 12th century. The Canterbury Cathedral is probably most well known for its role in Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales as the pilgrimage site of Thomas Becket’s shrine.
  • The Roman Baths. In the English city of Bath is a well-preserved Roman bath house that was a place to publicly bathe. The hot springs that feed into the bath house have been used for bathing by British royalty since 836 BC, but during the Roman invasion, a temple and a bathing house complex were built starting in 60 AD. Modern day tourists can view the baths but not get in the water.