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C
hances are better than fifty–
fifty that you know someone
who drinks too much. The
National Council on Alcoholism es–
timates that at least one out of every
ten people who drink in the United
States suffers from the disease of
alcoholism. That fact translates into
ten million alcoholics!
And Iess than five percent of them
are on skid row. The other 95-plus
percent have "skid row between the
ears," but otherwise live and work
at all levels of society. They are
baokers, corporate executives, poli–
ticians, truck drivers, teachers, secre–
taries and housewives. They are
your friends, your fellow workers,
members ofyour fami ly.
And when one is a close friend ,
relative or mate, you suffer right
along with the alcoholic.
1t
isn't true
that people with drinking problems
hurt only themselves. Experience
shows tha t at Jeast four o ther pe r–
sons are affected by the behavior of
a problem drinker. He can't keep his
problem contained within himself.
lt
extends to his family, friends, fel–
low workers, and employers.
What can you do? First, realize
that the si tuation is no t hopeless.
People can recover from alcoholism.
Effective help is available. The ex–
cellent program of Alcoholics
Anonymous, for example, is avail–
able in hundreds of communities
from coast to coast. A.A. claims
its program has helped over
one million people achieve so–
briety.
Here a re sorne dos and don ' ts to
etfectively deal with a problem
drinker and steer him toward a re–
covery program.
DO
• Learn about the disease of alco–
holism and how to recognize the
symptoms by reading the literature
printed by health agencies. Alcohol–
ism is a complex, progressive di s–
order that involves a physical and
psychological dependence (addict–
ion) on the drug alcohol. The alco–
boljc can't stop drinking once he's
started, even though alcohol is de–
stroying his life. Unless the nonal–
coholic person understands the
nature of the disease, he cannot deal
effectively with a person suffering
from it. Most people know little or
nothing about alcoholism. And
what they think they "know" is
probably mostly made up of myths
and misconceptions. (Two excellent
information agencies on alcoholism
in the United States a re the Na–
tional Council on Alcoho lism, 733
Third Ave., New York, New York
100 17 and the National Clear–
inghouse for Alcohol lnformation,
Box 2345, Rockville, Maryland
20852.)
• Learn about the resources in your
community for dealing with alcohol–
ism. Ignorance of the resources
available to trea t the disease is as
great as ignorance of the disease it–
self. Visit an alcoholic treatment
IF
SOMEONE
YOU
KNOW
DRINKS
TOO
MUCH
by
D. Paul Graunke
center or an open meeting of AJco–
holics Anonymous, a fellowship of
meo and women who help each
o ther mainta in their sobrie ty. Look
into AI -Anon , an organizat ion
which dea ls with the problems of
those who live with alcoholics. (In
recent years more and more experts
have come to realize that alcoholism
cannot be treated as if it involved
the alcoho lic alone. Tt is a family
disease and successful therapy must
involve the entire family .)
• Discuss the situation with some–
one you trust-a dergyman , social
worker, a fri end- preferably some–
one who has ex perie nced a lco–
holism personally or as a family
member.
• Remain ca lm, and be factu-
a lly honest in speaking with the
problem drinker about his be–
havior.
• Le t the problem drinker know you
are reading a nd learning about a lco–
holism. Let him know where he can
go for help.
• Establish and maintain a healthy
a tmosphere a t home, and try to in–
elude the alcoholic member in fam–
ily life.
• Explain the nature of alcoholism
to
the children involved.
• Encourage new interests and par–
ticipate in activit ies that the alco–
holic enjoys- except drinking. of
course.
• Be patient. Live one day at a time.
Alcoholism gene rally develops over
a pe riod of yea rs.
1t
can't be cured
overnight. Expect and accept set–
backs with perseverance and calm–
ness.
DON'T
Attempt to punish. threaten, br ibe
or preach. Guard against "holier–
than-thou" o r martyrlike alt i–
tudes.
• Lose your tcmper and the reby de–
stroy any possibility of helping.
• AUow your a nxiety to compel you
to try to do wha t the alcoholic can
only do for himself.
• Cover up or make excuses for the
alcoholic person or shield him from
the consequences of his behavior.
• Hide or dump bottles, or shelter
the problem drinker from si tuat ions
where alcohol is present. Such mea–
sures are self-defeating. Remember,
the alcoho lic is addicted to alcohol,
and one way or another he wi ll ob–
tain the drug he craves.
• Argue with an alcoholic when he
is drunk.
• Drink along with the problem
drinker.
• Ride wi th the alcoholic person if
he insists on drinking and driving.
Drinking drive rs are responsible for
800,000 auto cras h es a nd the
slaughter of over 28,000 lives in the
United States each year.
• Accept guih for another's behav–
ior.
In short, don' t ignore the problem
or be afraid to be involved. Do learn
about alcoholism, guide the drinker
to help, and support him in bis
battle with the bottle. O
~----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------~
18
The
PLAIN TRUTH June/ July 1978
!!
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