If you wish to help a person affected by alcoholism, then know that several options exist.
Below, we aim to demystify these options so you can assist a loved one, relative or even yourself in overcoming alcoholism.
Helping a loved one seek alcoholism treatment is often an uphill battle. Why? Because those affected by alcoholism are renowned for denying this problem even exists.
Even though there has always been a concern about high levels of alcohol use throughout the UK the alcohol mortality rate has been fairly stable in the 15 years up to 2019, with deaths due to alcohol varying each year between 10-11.5 deaths per 100,000 people.
However, over the last 2 years, probably since the emergence of the coronavirus pandemic alcohol-related deaths has increased by roughly 20%, up to 13 deaths per 100,000 people which is the highest rate for some time.
This sudden surge was seen in both men and women in both deprived and affluent areas of the UK.
The alcohol mortality rate for men is nearly twice as much as for females, with male deaths being recorded at over 17 deaths per 100,000 men and female deaths at just under 9 deaths per 100,000 women. (12,15)
If you suspect your loved one suffers from alcoholism, he or she will likely dismiss your concerns.
They may admit that they need to ‘just cut down’ they are not ‘alcoholic’s because they ‘don’t live on the streets’ or because they ‘manage to go to work every day’.
Unfortunately, this reasoning could not be further from the truth.
There is a common misconception that one must be homeless and mentally unstable in order to suffer from alcoholism.
In truth, the vast majority of those suffering from alcoholism will live productive lifestyles, including holding down a full-time job.
Often those affected by alcoholism will eventually be forced to decide between seeking out professional treatment or giving up on life entirely.
If you’re loved one has seemingly lost control of his or her drinking and even attempted to ‘give up on several occasions in the past, then it’s likely this time will inevitably arrive sooner rather than later.
When discussing the problem with an affected loved one, do not come off as preachy or overly confrontational. To do so is likely to stir up resistance to your offer to help your loved one.
Remember that alcoholism is a disease that sadly carries a lot of stigmas, so it is unlikely your loved one will admit to having this illness without first putting up some form of resistance.
To avoid a negative reaction, try to demonstrate empathy and genuine concern.
It’s important to note that you cannot compel a person to seek out addiction treatment by threatening them with any form of an ultimatum.
Doing so may discourage them from admitting help is needed. This state of affairs is best summed up in the old saying ‘you can bring a horse to water but you cannot force it to drink.’
Alcoholism must be considered an illness and not a mere behaviour that can be consciously controlled. Alcoholism is not a choice. Alcoholism is a physical and mental addiction.
People addicted to alcohol cannot simply stop drinking alcohol even when they are acutely aware of the severe negative consequence of continuing to do so.
It’s not unknown for those affected by alcoholism resist calls for treatment on the basis that they enjoy being addicted to alcohol. Those affected by alcoholism often simply enjoy drinking alcohol.
The very thought of giving up alcohol for good is one many of these people will not welcome. This attitude may seem masochistic to all those around them, but this is not uncommon.
The physical harm people develop as a result of excessive drinking includes:
If you feel you are drinking a lot and your physical health is affected and you are experiencing a low mood and anxious feelings then it might be worth speaking to a medical professional if you regularly consume over 14 units of alcohol a week.
Just because you drink more than 14 units a week does not mean that you have an alcohol use disorder although it may be worth seriously trying to curb your drinking before your physical and mental health deteriorates.
If several of the following characteristics apply to you then you should visit your GP to be assessed for an alcohol use disorder:
Luckily, throughout the UK their many services are operating committed to helping people recover from the negative effects of alcohol abuse, whether people need specialist treatment for as severe addiction, or help to reduce their drinking tower level.
Your local GP surgery is always a good place to start as you can discuss your concerns with them and arrange a physical examination to assess the state of your physical health.
Your GP will be able to assess your level of alcohol use by asking you several questions, so it is important to be open and honest about your concerns and the amount of alcohol you consume.
Your GP will also advise you on your next course of action and/or refer you to specialist services in your area.
GP surgeries have strong professional links to many alcohol rehab services and treatment centres in the area and to all other organisations that support people that are drinking to excesses.
There is an abundance of alcohol intervention teams based at regional NHS trusts throughout the country who are committed to helping people in their locality reduce the level of their alcohol consumption and/or signpost them on to relevant treatment services if deemed appropriate for their circumstances
Illnesses and poor health as a result of excessive alcohol use place a huge burden on the NHS, directing services and resources away from other key healthcare and treatment areas.
Alcohol has been identified as the second most significant risk factor after smoking in causing cancer.
Alcohol is predominantly processed in the liver and liver disease, which is one of the main health concerns that cause premature mortality in the UK is on the rise, indicated by the fact that deaths have increased by over 42% in the last 10 years.
Statistics reveal that over two-thirds of weekend hospital emergency department admissions are alcohol-related. (10,12)
Local alcohol specialists, therefore, play a key role in helping people cut down their alcohol consumption and a huge part of this involves educating clients on the dangers of excessive alcohol consumption, including the recommended daily units allowance for both men and women.
NHS alcohol practitioners will explain the science behind how alcohol affects the body and offer productive and insightful tips on how to cut down alcohol use by setting short and long terms goals. (15)
They also play a key role in assessing people’s current level of alcohol use and from this, they can direct people to the most suitable intervention/course of action for them, this could involve offering tips to cut down the rate of alcohol before it becomes a serious problem, this is carried out through group workshops and individual sessions.
The alcohol practitioners will utilise several behaviour change therapies to help change people’s relationship with alcohol such as cognitive behavioural therapy and motivational interviewing.
The practitioners will work with their patients to help them devise a plan to cut down and/or give up on their alcohol intake.
Without a doubt, Alcoholics Anonymous is a huge source of support for anyone seeking to overcome alcohol addiction or heavy alcohol use.
The AA was founded in 1935 to help people who were struggling to function adequately as a result of their heavy alcohol consumption. The AA is now established as an international fellowship with over two million members worldwide.
The overriding aim of AA is to help all its members work towards recovery from alcohol abuse and to enable them to continue their sobriety into the future.
The AA is not linked to any political or medical institutions and their meetings will be facilitated by a fellow member who is also in recovery from alcohol use. (2)
The AA runs weekly meetings throughout the UK where people who are worried about their alcohol use and tup anonymously and talk about their feelings and experiences about their alcohol use in the presence of their “fellows” who have been going through similar experiences.
The premise behind the AA approach to recovery is that addiction is not a condition that people can or should tackle on their own and any attempt to do so would result in failure. However, with support and encouragement from your fellow members, anyone can recover.
AA meetings offer a safe space where members can be reassured that whatever they reveal at the meetings will be treated in the strictest confidence and everyone attending the meetings will be on an equal footing regardless of any social factors.
The AA has an online presence and you will find details of AA support group meetings in your area on their website, including time, location and the number of the group facilitator to contact to state your intention of joining the meeting. (2)
The AA is also renowned for developing its 12 steps to recovery programme which features 12 important reflective exercises that people seeking recovery from alcohol addiction need to work through in order to achieve abstinence.
These steps include admitting powerlessness over your condition, thinking about which people you have harmed as a result of your alcohol abuse, analysing the negative aspects of your character and contemplating your spiritual beliefs. (2,17)
Al-Anon is an organisation that offers support and guidance for the family members of people who have struggled with their alcohol use.
They run a telephone helpline where you can talk to a representative in confidence about your concerns for a relative or close friend who has problems curtailing their drinking.
Al-anon like AA run regular weekly meetings throughout the UK where relatives and friends of people who have been using alcohol excessively can talk openly about their feelings and concerns without prejudice in the company of people who are experiencing similar worries. (1)
There are many alcohol and addiction rehab centres throughout the UK that possess the knowledge, resources and expertise to help treat people with alcohol use disorder.
These rehab centres offer biological/pharmacological, psychological, social and spiritual interventions to enable their patients to achieve recovery.
The main components of clients’ treatment programmes include;
Pharmacological treatment, commonly referred to as detox, allows medical practitioners to eliminate the harmful chemicals produced by excess alcohol consumption from the body.
This is performed over a period of 7-10 days and also helps to minimise any unpleasant withdrawal symptoms that may become apparent.
A benzodiazepine drug called Librium is used for this procedure as it possesses anti-convulsant chemicals which will protect the client from experiencing seizures during the early stages of withdrawal which is a common risk faced by all patients seeking to give up alcohol. (5,9)
Rehab centres will use several psychological therapies to help clients change their self-damaging internal thought processes, attitudes and beliefs about alcohol, improve their ability to tolerate difficult and overwhelming feelings and improve their communication skills and relationships with other people.
These therapies include Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Dialectical Behavioural Therapy, interpersonal therapy, motivational interviewing and group therapy among others. (3,4)
All rehab centres will provide their clients with important psychological skills during their treatment programme that they will be able to implement when they leave the sanctuary of residential rehab and re-enter their usual family, social and work environments.
Relapse prevention involves helping clients recognise the high-risk situations in their life that may tempt them back into alcohol use.
These high-risk situations may be social engagements such as weddings, recreational activities such as attending music concerts or negative emotional states (sadness, anger, loneliness).
By identifying these situations clients can work with their rehab therapists to practice strategies to implement when situations that may make them vulnerable to relapse arise in the future. (5,14)
People who have mental health concerns, as well as their alcohol addiction can be reassured by the fact that all rehab centres have dedicated dual diagnosis teams that are skilled in treating both a client’s alcohol addiction and mental health condition at the same time.
It is very common for patients who drink a lot of alcohol to have problems with depression and anxiety and very often the two conditions make each other worse.
Luckily dual diagnosis professionals fully understand the nature of how alcohol addiction and mental health conditions interact with each other. (5,8)
The most effective form of alcoholism treatment is inpatient rehab treatment. Overcoming alcoholism is not easy.
Due to the universal availability of alcohol, it’s best to undergo treatment from the safety of an alcohol rehab clinic.
Here, it will be impossible to access alcohol. This is not the case when your loved one undertakes outpatient treatment by visiting a local therapist or counsellor.
Inpatient rehab may seem like a radical course of action, but rest assured that going to rehab is almost always the recommended option for those affected by alcoholism.
Alcohol rehab treatment begins with a medically assisted alcohol detox. Because alcohol is a physically addictive substance, your loved one will require medications that help to ease dangerous alcohol withdrawal symptoms. These symptoms typically require ongoing treatment for up to 10 days.
Whilst in rehab, your loved one will undergo therapy and counselling. This helps to treat the psychological aspect of alcoholism. Often, alcoholism is caused by mental trauma.
Counselling and therapy aim to heal mental scars so your loved one no longer needs to abuse alcohol to self-medicate traumatic memories.
Many alcohol rehab clinics also offer family therapy. Family therapy is particularly useful when a condition known as co-dependency has arisen. Co-dependency arises when a loved-one acts in a way that supports and enables another’s alcoholism.
Another option is to seek out the help of your local GP. This person will assist your loved one by referring him or her to a drug and alcohol action team. It’s important to realise this assistance will not include residential rehab treatment.
Unfortunately, due to cuts to addiction services, it has become difficult to secure the required funding for inpatient rehab treatment. This means the vast majority of people must fund treatment out-of-pocket.
There are three sources of funding available to cover the cost of treatment, these being:
For moderate drinkers who are concerned their alcohol use is increasing and would like to cut down then the first port of call should be to your GP where you will be assessed for an alcohol use disorder.
This could be classed as mild, moderate or severe and will dictate the next course of action.
However, if you feel that you regularly need alcohol to relax and unwind then you should think of cutting down your alcohol consumption and/or seek professional help as there is a strong chance you are psychologically dependent on alcohol which may develop into a physical dependency shortly left untreated.
If you feel you are drinking too much then compile a list of the advantages and disadvantages of drinking alcohol and assess how prominent a role alcohol plays in your life. It may be useful to monitor your physical and mental health to see if your alcohol use is negatively affecting you.
It’s fine to drink a moderate amount of alcohol and enjoy drinking on social occasions but if it is affecting your health and your performance at work or in education then you should seek professional help.
By making a list of the pros and cons of drinking alcohol you can objectively see how it affects your life and then you can decide if you want to reduce your drinking and, if so how you are going to do it.
Several addiction researchers have concluded that triggers from our social environments can have a negative influence on our minds and activate cravings for alcohol.
Anyone that regularly drinks alcohol in the same situations (environments) or with the same people is vulnerable to having their minds associate these situations and people with alcohol consumption, so much so that just being in these situations or in the company of certain people will trigger alcohol cravings through the psychological process of classical conditioning.
Regularly attending environments that have a strong personal association with alcohol is only likely to stimulate your desire for alcohol in comparison to a neutral environment that does not have any personal association with alcohol.
By reflecting on and identifying your alcohol triggers and avoiding them you are removing unconscious automatic processes d ensuring that you are less likely to experience strong cravings and therefore drink less alcohol.
Part of the NHS’ policy on reducing the nation’s alcohol consumption involves educating as many people as possible about the weekly recommended unit guidelines for alcohol intake.
It is likely many drinkers throughout the UK are unaware of these guidelines and also of how much alcohol they consume during the week.
So, knowing the basic information about how many units you consume and what constitutes a unit of alcohol can help you understand how much you drink, and help you plan how to reduce your alcohol intake.
For example, not all drinks contain the same alcoholic strength despite the fact their volume content is identical. A pint of low-strength lager is equal to 2 units but a high-strength pint of lager can be worth up to 3 units.
People who drink 5 pints of high-strength beer/lager per week are already over the recommended limit for the week and if this is sustained for a period of months it can start to cause health problems.
One of the main reasons for trying to cut down your alcohol consumption is that it will enable you to assess if you still have control of your alcohol intake or if you have lost control and are unable to stop.
If you develop a plan to reduce your alcohol intake and adhere to it then it is unlikely that you have an addiction or physical dependence.
However, if you cannot stop or reduce your intake then this could be a sign that you are unable to control your alcohol consumption and should contact professional alcohol services.
Below is a list of other organisations that you can turn to for support.
CGL is a UK charity set out to empower people to make positive changes in their life despite having to overcome difficult challenges relating to alcohol and substance use, homelessness and domestic violence.
Its mission is to support and encourage the people who turn to them to help them find the courage and motivation to change the direction of their lives and reach their full potential and achieve their personal goals.
Drinkline is the UK’s national alcohol helpline, which is a free number people can ring on weekdays from 9 am to 8 pm and on weekends from 11 am to 4 pm, to speak in confidence with a trained professional about any concerns they may have about their problems with alcohol or those relating to a relative or close friend.
This is a UK charity founded in the late 1960s which is dedicated to helping people overcome difficult experiences with mental health and alcohol abuse and make positive behaviour changes in life.
They offer a non-judgemental, compassionate service where people can be listened to without prejudice and who can find the help and support they need to move away from substance use. They have links to several organisations and offer the following interventions to clients;
One-to-one emotional and practical support to help you get back on your feet and establish a plan to move forward.
Group support, thisudes structured and unstructured group sessions which can either be for listening to problems and concerns or working together to solve problems and find solutions.
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SMART Recovery is a UK charity committed to helping people overcome various addictions. They run several programmes and meetings that are free to access that will provide people with the skill, knowledge and support they will need to fight their addiction and move forward.
They offer a range of training programmes that will allow people to change their dysfunctional behaviour and their programmes are delivered by trained facilitators on online and face-to-face platforms where people can start to learn what they need to do to help themselves.
They use a variety of approaches including cognitive behavioural therapy, behaviour change and motivational techniques to help clients.
Their programmes are structured around 4 main areas deemed important for sustaining recovery, these are:
They also offer meetings for people who have become socially isolated and attending these meetings will help attendees connect with other people who have been going through the same experiences, which can be of great comfort and support.
The meetings are facilitated by trained personnel and follow a structure, they last for approximately one and a half hours each week and new attendees are always welcome.
The meetings focus is one addictive behaviour rather than the substance, and they do not ask people who attend to tell their life stories just discuss the addictive processes they are experiencing.
The meeting facilitators tend to utilise CBT and motivational interviewing techniques to help clients find different ways of thinking about and changing their addictive behaviour with the support of the group playing a paramount role.
The WDP is a charity project that has been offering support, advice and guidance for over 30 years to people who are struggling with their mental health as a result of excessive drug and alcohol use.
The WDP offers free treatment and support to help people overcome their alcohol use disorder or help people manage and regain control of their drinking patterns depending on the nature of their problems and the severity of their alcohol use.
They have strong links to a range of treatment procedures for alcohol addiction including detox treatment, psychological therapies, group therapies and specialist educational workshops.
They can either offer treatment themselves or direct people to other relevant services that can assist them depending on the part of the country enquiries come from.
They also provide support and guidance for friends and family members of people who are drinking heavily and can advise them on the best course of action to ensure they receive the best treatment and care for forever alcohol dependence
The WDP mainly operates throughout the London area, Surrey, Berkshire and Cheshire.
(1) Al-Anon (2022) Al-Anon. available@ Al-Anon UK | For families & friends of alcoholics
(2) Alcoholics Anonymous (2021) What is AA? Available @What is AA? | Alcoholics Anonymous – Great Britain (alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk)
(3) Beck, A Wright, F, Newman, C., Liese, B. (1993) Cognitive therapy of substance use. The Guilford Press. New York.
(4) Dimeff, L., Linehan, M. (2008) Dialectical Behaviour Therapy for Substance Abusers. Addiction Science and Clinical Practice. June 2008.
(5) Coombs, R.H. (ed) (2004) Handbook of Addictive Disorders: A practical guide to diagnosis and treatment. John Wiley & sons. New Jersey.
(6) Harvard Medical School (2022) Eleven ways to curb your drinking.available@11 ways to curb your drinking – Harvard Health
(7) Heather, N. & Stockwell, T. (2004) The Essential Handbook of Treatment and Prevention of Alcohol Problems. John Wiley and Sons. Chichester.
(8) Lewis, J, Dana, R., Blevins, G. (2002) Substance abuse counselling. Brooks Cole, London.
(9) Moss, A.C., dyer, K.H. (2010) Psychology of addictive behaviour. Palgrave MacMillan. Basingstoke.
(10) National Health Service (2022) Alcohol support. available@Alcohol support – NHS (www.nhs.uk)
(11) Frimley NHS Foundation Trust (2022) Alcohol support. available@Alcohol support | NHS Frimley Health Foundation Trust (theft.NHS.UK)
(12) NI Direct (2022) How alcohol affects your health. available@ https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/how-alcohol-affects-your-health#:~:text=Alcohol%20can%20cause%20high%20blood,and%20also%20cause%20heart%20failure.
(13) NHS Nightingale Hospital (2021) Addiction Treatment and Rehabilitation
available online@Addiction treatment and rehabilitation | Nightingale Hospital London
(14) Parks, G., Anderson, B., Marlatt, G.A. (2004) Relapse Prevention Therapy in Heather, N. & Stockwell, T. (2004) The Essential Handbook of Treatment and Prevention of Alcohol Problems. John Wiley and Sons. Chichester
(15) Nuffield Trust (2022) Alcohol-related harm and drinking behaviour. Available@alcohol-related harm and drinking behaviour | The Nuffield Trust
(16) Wild, T.C., Wolfe, J. (2009) The Clinical Course of Addiction Treatment: The Role of Non-Specific Therapeutic Factors in Miller, P. (ed) Evidence-Based Addiction Treatment. Academic Press. London.
(17) Williams, C. (2003) 12 Step Approaches in Peterson, T. & McBride, A. (ed) Working with Substance Misusers: A Guide to Theory and Practice London. Routledge.
