It is interesting to mention something that family members who have been negatively affected by the alcoholism of another family member apparently do not grasp. It appears that by protecting the alcohol dependent person with falsehoods and dishonesty to those outside the family, these well-intentioned family members have in reality created a condition that makes it easier for the alcoholic to carry on and move forward with his or her hurtful, detrimental way of living.

To be sure, instead of helping the alcoholic and themselves, these family members have basically become enablers who have mistakenly helped deteriorate the alcohol addicted person’s drinking problem even further.

Perhaps the real downside of this is that the alcohol dependent individual will continue drinking in an irresponsible and excessive manner and suffer from different “alcohol side effects.” Some of these side effects include ill health, diminished mental functioning, deteriorating relationships, serious financial problems, employment difficulties, and legal issues (such as getting arrested for one or more DWIs).

Relapses Can and Do Occur From Time to Time

According to the research literature and statistics on alcohol dependency, another key alcohol addiction issue concerns alcohol relapses. Relapses take place when an alcohol dependent person has effectively gone through alcoholism rehab and then returns to drinking a number of weeks or months later. At first glance, this circumstance flies in the face of rational thinking and sounds so doubtful that it forces one to question why anyone who has gone through the misery of alcohol dependency can return to drinking a short while after successful alcohol counseling and in turn after attaining recovery. There are, of course, numerous plausible reasons for this.

It should be highlighted, then again that alcohol addiction research that has focused on the enduring consequences of alcoholism has demonstrated-proven that long after the alcohol dependent person has halted his or her drinking, fundamental transformations in the way in which the alcohol addicted individual’s brain functions are still present. As a consequence, all a recovering alcohol dependent individual has to do to involve himself or herself in behaviors that correspond with the alterations that have come about in the brain is to engage in drinking once again.

The Necessity for A Crucial Lifestyle Change

There are additional reasons why quite a lot of recovering alcohol addicted individuals return to drinking a few weeks or a few months after achieving sobriety. According to the alcoholism research literature, to make a successful recovery, the alcoholic needs new ways of reacting and thinking in order to deal more effectively with difficult alcohol-related situations that will take place.

Situations such as returning to the same alcohol addictive environment or to the same geographic location; interacting once again with friends from the time when the alcohol dependent person was drinking in a hazardous manner; or familiar songs, smells, or activities—all of these conditions can elicit memories that can prompt psychological stress or push hot buttons that influence the recovering alcoholic to engage in hazardous drinking once again. Sadly, all of these circumstances may not only get in the way of enduring alcohol recovery for the alcohol dependent person but they can also lead to relapse and consequently negate one’s sobriety.

The Good News:  There’s a Lot of Hope for Lasting Sobriety

In an attempt to “protect” the family alcohol addicted individual, family members can essentially cause inadvertent damage by enabling the harmful drinking behavior of the alcohol dependent individual.

The alcohol abuse research literature highlights the fact that most individuals who effectively complete alcohol rehab go through at least one relapse. Alcohol dependent persons and their family members need to know this so that they do not get dejected or stressed out when a relapse takes place.

Fortunately, involvement in support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous and follow-up therapy and education have resulted in more effective, enduring alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction treatment outcomes, have helped reduce alcohol relapses, and have helped recovering alcohol dependent persons accomplish ongoing alcohol recovery.