Alcohol consumption in the United States is a serious problem. According to ehealthMD, of the almost 14 million Americans who have problems with alcohol consumption, around 8 million of them are alcoholics. The organization further reports that about half of all American adults have been affected by someone who has a drinking problem. Trying to help a person with an alcohol consumption problem is possible, as long as you plan appropriately.
Step 1
Remove all alcohol from your home. Make it as difficult as possible for the person to get alcohol while around you.
Step 2
Attend a support group for family and friends of alcoholics. These are usually sponsored by churches, so contact local churches to find out what programs are available.
Step 3
Stay patient and lend an ear to the person with the problem, as well as to those affected by the problem. Some people turn to alcohol as a way to cope with problems. In some cases, simply having a friend willing to listen is enough to minimize the pull toward alcohol.
Step 4
Let the person who is having the problem with alcohol face the consequences of her actions. All too often, an alcoholic's loved one tries to minimize the consequences associated with her drinking. Traffic infractions and other consequences should be borne by the alcoholic.
Step 5
Encourage the person to visit a support group. Oftentimes, seeing the success stories at a support group is enough to encourage the alcoholic to stop, or at least to slow down the drinking.
Step 6
Orchestrate an intervention. If the problem has become serious and you feel an intervention is in order, find an intervention specialist in your area to help you develop a plan.
