Worried About Someone's Drug Or Drinking Problem?

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Those of us affected by an alcoholic or a drug user can suffer. We can worry on how to help our loved one recover. We may be thinking, " If they could just stop using or drinking everything would be okay. We may lie awake at night figuring out how to cure them of this disease or make everything easy for them, so they do not get upset or abusive. We may even resent them and fill our days with a victim mentality. 

We have heard all their excuses and some of us believe them even after multiple episodes of * “falling off the wagon". We so desperately want to believe them and feel sorry for them that it is easy to believe their promises. We hope and wish and pray they would be normal as our lives would be so much easier. 

*The phrase "back on the wagon" refers to one who quits drinking and hops on the band wagon, with a positive spirit. In other words one who is happy not to drink. Relapsing into alcoholism is often sudden and unintentional, hence the description of "falling off the wagon".

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Friends or family members may be

•  enabling this person by handling their responsibilities 
• We may lie to cover up what is going on in the home
•  We may allow them to overstep their boundaries with us. 
• We may even depend on them so much for our livelyhood, health insurance, house payments, companionship that we put up with the cycle of abuse.

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There is hope. Family and friends of a drug or alcohol abuser can attend Al-Anon meetings. You not only learn more about how you can help yourself and the abuser, you will find you are not alone. 
Go to the Al-Anon website and find a meeting near you https://al-anon.org/

DeborahMoonMoen
Self-Created Health Mentor

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Be Well.