How to cope with your adult alcoholic child causes a major concern among parents. Alcoholism is a disease which affects millions of people. Uncontrollable bouts of alcohol consumption combined with a preoccupation with drinking can be difficult to stop. Parents of adult alcoholics find themselves feeling helpless, hopeless and inadequate in helping their loved one. Feelings of devastation occur when the parents feel they have no control over their child who is now an adult alcoholic. It is challenging when the child is blaming, finger pointing and making the situation seem like you failed as a parent. Learning how to support and encourage treatment is very helpful in how to cope with your adult child’s alcoholism.
What Is Alcoholism?
Understanding the disease helps parents learn how to cope with their adult child’s alcoholism. Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a medical condition that causes the person to have an impaired ability to stop or control the usage of alcohol. Additionally, alcoholism is a brain disorder that can be mild, moderate or severe. Alcohol use disorder can result in permanent changes in the brain. Proven treatments have allowed alcoholics to undergo treatment and achieve recovery from this devastating disease.
Signs and Symptoms of Alcoholism
Identifying the signs and symptoms of alcoholism will help to learn how to cope with your adult child’s alcoholism. Understanding what trained medical and mental health providers use for their assessment of alcohol use disorder proves vital. Once you have read through the possible signs and symptoms of alcoholism, be sure you don’t make excuses for your loved one. This is a serious illness that needs to be treated. Consequently, parents need to remain realistic in their thinking.
Signs and symptoms of alcoholism include:
- An inability to control the amount of alcohol being used
- Spending a great deal of time drinking
- Experiencing hangovers
- Feeling an uncontrollable urge to drink
- Drinking alcohol has affected work, relationships, school, and homelife
- Avoiding friends and family who disapprove of the person’s drinking
- Experiencing depression and anxiety
- Lack of interest in activities and hobbies
- Taking part in unusual or dangerous behaviors after drinking
- Withdrawal symptoms when a person stops drinking or cuts back on the amount they consume
Tips For Coping With Your Adult Alcoholic Child
The most beneficial method for learning how to cope with your adult child’s alcoholism is to educate yourself about positive and healthy coping mechanisms. The best form of support for your adult son or daughter is to understand that certain behaviors you may participate in can be detrimental to the situation. Treatment is the best decision to be made with alcoholism. Having said that, your adult child must make the decision and the commitment to recover.
Ways to cope with your adult alcoholic child include:
Learn How to Help Yourself
Addiction is a difficult disease to understand and cope with. The parents need to reach out for their own support by enlisting the help of a therapist, support group or both. An experienced therapist can help parents understand how to cope with their adult child’s alcoholism and the treatment process. Parents also need to learn how to express and process their own emotions and feelings about alcoholism and their loved one.
Utilize Your Support System
Allow certain family and friends to know about the adult child’s alcoholism. It’s not necessary to tell everyone, but loved ones can support you in your journey and help you be successful in supporting your loved one. Parents need to be truthful with their feelings and emotions and talk about them. Being open and honest is using a positive coping mechanism in learning how to cope with an adult alcoholic child.
Set Boundaries
Boundaries prove imperative but may be a new concept for parents to undertake. Therapy can help to understand the importance of setting healthy boundaries with your child. Healthy boundaries are set to help the addict and the parents, not harm them. Keeping the home a safe place where no drinking of alcohol is allowed in an example of a healthy boundary.
Let Go of Guilt
Your adult’s child is responsible for their actions. It is not the parents fault that their child has chosen to allow alcohol usage to be out of control and now it has escalated to alcoholism. Education is vital for the alleviation of guilt. Once the parents have educated themselves on how to cope with their adult child’s alcoholism, they can let go of the guilt. Understanding how using healthy rational thinking patterns helps will allow parents to support their loved one.
Helping Vs. Enabling Your Adult Alcoholic Child
Learning the difference between helping to support your loved and enabling will aid in learning how to cope with your adult child’s alcoholism. The parents can mistakenly enable their loved one to continue drinking if they don’t understand the concept. The adult child who is an alcoholic must learn how to make decisions and be responsible for their own self. Parents cannot overstep that boundary because they want to help. Enabling an alcoholic encourages a sense that the drinking is okay and the parent is comfortable with it.
Helping your adult child who is an alcoholic means holding them accountable and responsible for their actions. Parents do not help their adult alcoholic child when they treat alcoholism as an acceptable behavior. Parents must learn how to cope with their adult child’s alcoholism through all methods available to them to feel confident about providing the right kind of support. An assessment and treatment plan can lead your adult alcoholic child to the path of recovery.
Find Treatment For Your Young Adult Alcoholic Child in Los Angeles
Do you need to learn how to cope with your adult alcoholic child? Additionally, do you want to help your child get sober? Riviera Recovery in Los Angeles can help. Our experienced professionals will explain the first steps to take. Alcoholism is a challenge, but with our help, you can understand the process. As a result, you can get the help you need. Then, we can help your child get well. Contact us today and look forward to a brighter tomorrow.
