I think my 19 year old son has a drink problem - what should I do?

[Camushappy]

I'm looking for some advice about my son who is 19. He drinks in his room at night & hides the bottles and then denies he has a problem. He's given up on Uni because he hates his course & says he's going to apply again for next year. I'd love to hear from anyone who has experienced this and how they helped. He is my third child [of four] and I've not encountered this before. We live in a tiny village, he has friends, he works as a lifeguard part-time, and we are a normal nice family. Can I help him change?

Bring him to the GP and or AA meetings

Persuade him to go to the doctors & have a full range of liver function blood tests, that will tell him if he has damaged his liver & may frighten him in to stopping or at least cutting down drinking. Find your local drug & alcohol service & get him to go to a drop in, maybe talking to someone about why he drinks may help him, they can also get him help if he needs it.

My partner died aged 34 from alcohol abuse, he got cirrhosis of the liver, he had only been a heavy drinker for 4 years, he had everything to live for, he was a professional sportsman, had 2 lovely young children, had a loving family & a partner who loved him to the ends of the earth but it wasnt enough to save his life or for him to give up drinking.

I’m sorry to hear this OP. It’s hard because he doesn’t admit he has a problem. He has to do that before anything can change. Can you help him see this? My 19 year old DD had a problem too but she binge-drinks to the point of oblivion.