Author: Charles Frank

Coping When a Parent Has an Alcohol or Drug Problem for Teens

The disease is so strong that the individual is unable to see what is happening to himself or herself. In any case, the appropriate course of action is to continue to hold the employee accountable for his or her performance and/or conduct, regardless of whether or not the employee has admitted an alcohol problem. Your city’s local Alcoholics Anonymous central office can help coordinate it. Google “Alcoholics Anonymous + your city” to find their contact information. That’s where you’ll also find a list of local meetings.

I’ve been there, it was terrible, and now I don’t have to live like that anymore. Al-Anon Family Group, a 12-Step program similar to Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), is a great resource for those affected by the disease of alcoholism. When you attend open meetings of Al-Anon (they’re free), not only will you see that you’re not alone but you’ll also learn helpful and effective tools for dealing with another person’s addiction.

Substance use disorders harm a person’s health, and change the way they act. It’s not easy living with someone who has a substance use problem. If you live with a parent who has an alcohol or drug problem, you’re not alone.

Being close to someone addicted to alcohol can bring an immense amount of stress into your life. A lot of emotions — frustration, sadness, bitterness and more — may whirl through your mind. It’s often a reality that grows more concerning with every downed glass. Studies show that the risk of a situation turning violent is five times higher when alcohol enters the mix. In other words, their behavior, rather than your reaction to their behavior, becomes the focus. It is only when they experience their own pain that they will feel a need to change.

Get equipped with the tools you need to protect yourself from someone’s alcoholism.

A support group or therapy can help you learn how to avoid this risk. Don’t bury your feelings or pretend that everything’s OK. Notice how a parent’s substance problem makes you feel. Use words (and not harmful actions) to express how you feel and why. By Buddy TBuddy T is a writer and founding member of the Online Al-Anon Outreach Committee with decades of experience writing about alcoholism.

The counselor may be able to assist in any immediate assessment or may be at least able to talk to the client immediately. Even if the EAP counselor is unable to see the employee immediately, EAP personnel should be informed of the situation. You should refer the employee to the EAP after the employee returns to duty. These sessions should cause only minimal disruption to the work schedule. The EAP counselor can explain the importance of the follow-up program to the employee’s continued sobriety. One technique which can be used to confront the employee is called intervention.

Also, he or she usually will not stop drinking without some kind of outside pressure. This pressure may come from family, friends, clergy, other health care professionals, law enforcement or judicial authorities, or the employer. For example, a spouse may threaten divorce, or the alcoholic may be arrested for driving under the influence. At some point, you will likely encounter employees with problems related to alcohol in dealing with performance, conduct, and leave problems.

An area that is often troublesome for supervisors is what to do when an employee is apparently under the influence or intoxicated at work. Agencies have a fair amount of latitude about what to do in these situations. The following is a list of steps you should take in dealing with such a situation. Though not all steps would be appropriate in all situations, most would be applicable. In jobs requiring long-term projects or detailed analysis, an employee may be able to hide a performance problem for quite some time.

And like with most things, some of it is better than others. We’ve been working with alcoholics and addicts for more than 20 years and know just how difficult it can be to get through to someone stuck in addiction. Did a night of excessive drinking leave cans or bottles littering your living room floor? When someone gets too drunk or hungover to fulfill their basic responsibilities in life, they often rely on those around them to get the job done. And all too often, their friends and family pick up the slack. People who have parents with substance use problems are at higher risk of having these problems too.

Are You Feeling Suicidal?

It would be like telling someone with diabetes to just try harder at not having diabetes. It doesn’t make sense and they wouldn’t be able to do it no matter how hard they tried. A common myth, even among those in recovery, is that someone has to want to get help (treatment/rehab) for the help to work. If you’re going to engage someone who’s been drinking and shown flashes of violence, don’t do it alone. Bring someone you can trust with you, advises Dr. Anand. It starts with a beer, a glass of wine or a cocktail.

1. Give yourself some space from them so you have a better chance at staying strong, holding your boundaries, and providing useful help when the time comes.
2. An old drinking buddy who found recovery or a sober aunt or uncle they admire and respect can sometimes accomplish in an hour what you’ve been trying to do for years.
3. It might be helpful to rehearse this or at least go over the documentation with the EAP counselor.

It doesn’t matter what time it is, Discovery Place is here and ready to help those impacted by addiction day or night. Whether it is 3 AM or 3 PM, you can start your recovery journey by reaching out to our rehab in the Nashville area. An addiction is a brain disorder, after all, and not something that’s easily resolved. It can take 10 or more attempts at treatment before someone makes progress on overcoming an addiction. “It’s not your duty to hide the results of their drinking so they avoid feeling any sort of embarrassment,” says Dr. Anand.

Find support and ban together.

The employee may also be absent from his or her duty station without explanation or permission for significant periods of time. So, take a step back and let them deal with the after-effects of their addictive behavior. If you have children, it’s important to protect them from unacceptable behavior as well. Do not tolerate hurtful or negative comments addressed towards them. These comments can result in lasting damage to a child’s psyche.

Follow-up Care

Alcohol is a major factor in injuries, both at home, at work, and on the road. Nearly half of all traffic fatalities involve alcohol. Please see the Appendix – The Disease of Alcoholism for a further discussion of alcoholism.

It is important to immediately and accurately document in writing what has transpired. Record all the events that led to sending the employee home, especially if any disciplinary action is necessary. If the employee is disruptive to the workplace, you should remove him or her from the immediate worksite. This may involve taking the employee home or at least taking him or her to the health unit, the EAP office, or some other safe location. An employee who is physically resisting should be dealt with by agency security or local police. The employee should not be sent home alone or allowed to drive.

Don’t expect your loved one to overcome a drinking problem alone. Even if they don’t require medical supervision to withdraw safely, they’ll still need support, guidance, and new coping skills to quit or cut back on their drinking. Employees who suffer from it need the agency’s compassion.