Hi all, I've never posted in this section before but I'm hoping for some advice from those of you who have 'been there, done that'. Apologies in advance for the long post but I want to give as good a picture as I can in hopes of getting more applicable advice.
My best friend is an alcoholic. He has had a drinking problem for the last 18 months, since his mother died.
He's always been the sort of person with very few, but very close friends and his mother was his only family so it hit him very hard. He has struggled with mental health issues for many years (depression, self harming, and a suicide attempt 9 years ago) in recent years his mental health had been better, but when he lost his mother to a surprise diagnosis and very rapid illness he fell apart. He had been drinking quite heavily ever since.
In the late summer he was self harming and accidentally cut too deep. Thankfully he was with it enough to recognise the harm and to call me. Following this incident he listened to me more about the fact that he needed to get professional help. He spoke to his GP about both the depression and the drinking. Since then he has been on antidepressants which have dramatically improved the depression.
However, the GP ran tests on his liver and kidneys 'just in case' and these came back clear. Unfortunately he seems to have viewed this as 'well I'm not doing any harm so I might as well carry on'.
His drinking has got worse ever since, he drinks at least 2 bottles of wine every night and starts drinking as soon as he gets up at the weekends. He thinks he's 'fine' because he is 'functioning' I.e. going to work, and presenting an appearance outwardly of being 'normal'
However lately he has started cancelling plans he has with me and/or others just to stay home and drink alone.
I know that if he is going to change he has to actually want to do it himself. But How can I get him to realise that it really IS this bad and that he IS an alcoholic and that he needs to do something about it?
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Alcohol support
How can I help him?
10 replies
soupforbrains · 03/12/2019 23:30
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