If you or someone you love struggles with alcohol addiction, it’s time to find treatment near you. Thankfully, we offer a variety of options for alcohol rehab in Asheville, but more on that later. Here are five different discussion topics about alcoholism. Whether you’re talking to a child or teen that you’re worried has started drinking too much, or you’re looking for topics to discuss during your support group meetings, we’ve got you covered! These are five different topics great for multiple different kinds of alcohol-related discussions.
1. How Alcohol Addiction Starts
Discussing how alcohol addiction begins is an important discussion topic because it can not only help to reduce the risk of people developing an addiction by making them aware of risk factors, but it can help addicts to identify what may have led them to start drinking in the first place. For many people, alcohol addiction starts when it feels like they have no other options or no place to go. If they don’t have healthy coping mechanisms, it’s much easier to turn to alcohol or drugs as a replacement.
Of course, there are other risk factors for developing an addiction, but we’ll touch more on those next. For this discussion, you should tackle what types of issues can cause addiction or what path can eventually lead to addiction. For example, if someone is getting drunk every single night for a week or two, that will likely lead to dependence or addiction if they continue their behaviors long-term.
You should also discuss the paths that addicts may take and how addiction can affect their lives long-term. For example, if someone starts with alcohol, they might end up eventually taking drugs. Both types of addiction, alcohol and drug, can lead to major life changes such as huge monetary loss, job loss, and ruined relationships. During this conversation, you should also speak about how alcoholics can get their life back on track, and also how not all alcoholics hit rock bottom. Discussing high-functioning alcoholics is also a good idea, explaining that some people are able to hide their addiction well while maintaining their livelihood.
2. Risk Factors for Alcoholism
There are a few different risk factors for alcoholism, and it’s a good idea to discuss these with addicts, teenagers, and family members. For those who are already addicted, it can be helpful to know why their addiction may have started. For those with certain risk factors, it can be helpful to know about them beforehand, making addiction easier to avoid in the future. Risk factors for alcoholism include:
- Genetic predisposition, having a close family member who struggles with addiction
- Experienced trauma, having experienced a traumatic event at any point in life such as sexual assault, abuse, traumatic injury, war, violence, and more
- Mental illness, whether diagnosed or not, those who are actively partaking in treatment such as medication and therapy are less at risk than those who are not currently being treated for their illness
- Using at a young age, those who start drinking earlier in life may be at higher risk for developing an addiction
For the most part, alcohol addiction stems from not having healthy coping mechanisms and, instead, turning to alcohol. To prevent addiction or prevent relapse after treatment, it’s important to learn healthy coping mechanisms and treat yourself to self-care that doesn’t rely on the use of drugs or alcohol.
3. How Alcoholism Effects Friends and Family
Discussing how alcohol addiction can affect the people around the addict (and not just the addict themselves) is also important. Having this discussion with addicts and the family members of addicts can help both sides better understand how their actions are affecting the other.
While addicts can cause lots of damage by hurting their friends and family through careless actions, friends and family may also cause damage to their addicted friend or loved one by casting blame or talking down to them instead of offering help and support.
4. Warning Signs of Alcoholism
Laying out the warning signs of alcoholism is also an important topic, especially amongst loved ones and friends who may be worried about someone in their life. You can also have these conversations with your children and with former addicts looking to keep an eye on whether or not their friends or sponsees have relapsed. Warning signs of alcoholism include, but are not limited to the following:
- Abrupt changes in behavior or attitude
- Irritability or anger
- Missing classes or work
- Lying to family and friends about who they’re with/where they are
- Appetite changes
- Constantly hungover
- Drinking at all social events
- Unable to quit on their own
- Experiencing withdrawal symptoms when they attempt to quit
- Blacking out frequently
If you notice any of these symptoms in a friend or a loved one, it may be time to talk to them about their potential addiction. Go about this conversation lightly and make sure they feel supported and not judged. Remember, you’re trying to help them, not making an accusation.
5. When to Seek Treatment
It’s important to discuss with loved ones and family members when treatment should occur. If you believe that you have a problem at all, you should seek treatment. If you’re unsure about whether or not you have a problem, refer to the warning signs above and discuss with your friends and family, asking for their opinions. You can also speak to your doctor or therapist for their input. If you’re considering treatment, chances are you could benefit from it.
If you’re having this conversation with someone who isn’t an addict, like a child or teenager, it’s a good way to encourage them to seek help if they find themselves in an addictive situation.
Find Alcohol Rehab in Asheville
If you or someone you love is suffering from alcohol addiction, it’s time to seek help. We have a variety of options for alcohol rehab in Asheville, including inpatient, outpatient, detox referral, and more. To learn more about our treatment programs and how we can help you or a loved one get and stay sober, give us a call as soon as possible. We’re here to help.
