How do you get an alcoholic help?

Question

I have a very close friend to me thatis a severe alcoholic, he has beena heavy drinker since 15 and is now 31. He drinks 3 cases of beer a day! It's to the point he isn't even noticibly drunk anymore! I have tried bringing this up and he gets really defensive. His wife is cheating on him and he has became worse in the last six months. I really love him and think he is too good a person to kill himself this way. How can I help him? I'm afraid he won't live to see 40.

Answer 1

All you can really do is encourage him and point out to him how his drinking is affecting his life. You say he drinks 3 CASES of beer a day. That's like 72 cans. I hope this isn't a joke because it wouldn't be funny to make light of a serious subject. If he decides to try and quit make sure he talks to a doctor first. In a person who has been drinking that heavily, daily, for a long period of time then quitting on their own can be dangerous. Alcohol withdrawal can produce serious and even life-threatening symptoms in people who are severely dependent and he may need to withdraw under medical supervision. Delirium tremens and withdrawal seizures require medical attention. He may need supervision and treatment for psychotic symptoms such as extensive hallucinations and delusions.

Answer 2

There is a place where you can get your friend help but he has to want the help and willing to admit that he has a problem with his drinking. The alcoholic anonymous is a great place to start. I grew up around alcoholics so I know how hurtful and painful it is to watch someone you love and care about slowing kill themselves because they had an alcohol problem and couldn't stop. I wish you and your friend the best of luck and I hope that he finds the help he needs.

Answer 3

First of all...he needs to make the decision to be helped. You can and should encourage him to seek help, but unless he is ready or fed up with his life at this point, there isn't much you can do unfortunately.
Second...if he accepts help, he needs to be medically detoxed if he has been drinking as heavily as you described. He could suffer from DT's (delirium tremens) when he stops drinking and these could potentially kill you. I mean that...I'm not trying to scare you...you REALLY can die from these.
Another possibility...if he is a threat or danger to himself or others, he can be involuntarily committed to a psych hospital. This is drastic, but could be a start.
Good luck...I hope he get's help. You just remember, this is his burden and although you mean well and care about him...this problem is more powerful than you could ever know.

Answer 4

Family intervention is the only way,
But remember get the pros at AAA
to help you they will tell you how to set it up but remember it may cost you your friendship and the friendship of others in the family, for just a little while but they will come back to you when they see what you did for him. If you really care as i think you do,
it is worth the try.
AAA has done more for drunks than anyone who may think they know better, because they never leave the person alone, they keep tabs on them and make sure they don't slip again,
Give them a call they are everywhere in every city in the world. and ready to talk to you about sobriety.

Answer 5

sorry but this will take a while you need to make sure he has no alcohol at all spend some time with him and make sure there is none there for him and when he is going though DT (detoxing) it will be worse he'll hallucinate and he will be very moody and will do anything to get more and if all else fails take him to get serous help 3 cases of beer a day is severely bad for your health

Answer 6

Unfortunately, there isn't a damn thing you can do..my husband has been sober for almost ten months now...I kicked him out and that was the "rock bottom" for him...went to his first AA meeting that very same day...the addict is the ONLY person who can decide there IS a problem and then seek help.

Answer 7

You Can NOT Help Him...
Only He can HELP himself. This is indeed a very hard lesson to learn, as it is only human to want to help your friend.
Most times an Alcoholic needs to hit Rock Bottom in order to even see he needs help.
When he is ready to seek help AA offers a wonderful program, but again HE NEEDS TO WANT HELP..
I speak from personal experience.

Answer 8

an alchoholic has to want to get help. you can contact aa and ask them for idea's on how to get him there. I have been threw this with my brother. cried that he wanted help. I took him to a rehab and he lied his way out. Now he lives as a hermit and won't leave the house in the afternoon because he is on drugs and has to drink. We have to take care of our own families now and not care. But the key is they have to want to get help. they really have to want it

Answer 9

your friend has to want the help himself...
i sympathize with you and have been on both sides...

i know how much you wanna help him... the best thing you can do is hit some alanon meetings... for friends and family members of alcoholics...

he may not be ready... it doesn't sound like he is... but, you can go to these meetings and listen... maybe find some support for yourself...

another thing you might try to do, is see if he wants to go to an aa meeting to just listen... he doesn't even have to talk... who knows, something may just "click" during a meeting someday... and that's what we hope for...

good luck to you both...

Answer 10

You really can't they have to want to quit themselves. Its hard to see them that way, but maybe if you talk to them and say that you really care about them and that you're there for them, and just talk with them about why you feel they need help. Sometimes just talking will get a person to see the error of their ways.