Healing Alcohol Addiction During Sporting Events, Holidays, and Family Gatherings

Family can be a primary source of healing in alcohol addiction treatment.  During sporting events, holidays, and weddings, alcoholic drinks are present that pose as possible temptations to those struggling with substance abuse.  There are several steps that we can take to help our relatives heal in a holistic fashion:

First, it is imperative that everyone in the family is understood for who they are individually before attempting to understand their relative who is addicted to alcohol.  Physicians of ancient Egypt believed that one must first know themselves before they are able to provide healing to others.  It is this basis for medicine that will draw relatives addicted to alcohol to their family for acceptance while at the same time being held accountable for their actions.

Second, if alcohol is usually present at a gathering hosted by the family, it can be removed altogether from the list of drinks being served.  At sporting events the family can keep their relative who is in recovery accountable for what they consume while attending.  This leaves no access for a substance abuser or recovering addict to falter in their healing process.  Even if there has been no clinical treatment at this point, the abuse can be halted during one of the greatest times of temptation.

Third, alcohol addiction can be healed and the one dealing with it must be loved and have kind words spoken to him/her.  We must believe in this wholeheartedly for our clients and families to heal.  Environments filled with high levels of emotional stress present unique situations when the family lets their guard down and things may be said that should be withheld for the sake of peace.  If someone does not feel loved, healing will never take place.

The healing process is hindered if there is denial on the family’s part that a problem exists. This is common in families who have an intergenerational history of substance abuse.  This abuse may even have involved the selling of drugs which may have led to imprisonment, or long term rehabilitation treatment, or even death.  Denial acts as a mask to cover up character flaws, failures, spiritual and emotional trauma of the individuals involved and even those affected by them.

Every individual’s spirit is different and alcohol addiction will manifest in a variety of ways, including a loose tongue, (revealing private information), cursing, weight gain, damaged liver, depression, unbridled anger, lack of ambition, neglect of personal and family responsibilities, and in other ways.  By learning and understanding alcohol addiction, we understand its mechanisms and can assist our clients and family members in a more holistic fashion.