Alcoholic Boyfriend?
Question by Ashley A: Alcoholic boyfriend?
My boyfriend just admitted his alcohol addiction. His body is starting to feel the effects, and he is attending his first AA meeting tonight. He is by no means a mean drunk. What should I expect with him going through this? How can I help besides be there?
Best answer:
Answer by zynr
That’s about it… be supportive. and be there for him. Just don’t enable him. Hopefully he’ll stay on the right track. It’s good he’s not mean, but being an alcoholic could still ruin his life… and yours. Eventually he wouldn’t be able to hold a job… and his health would deteriorate.
Add your own answer in the comments!
Editorial: START packets at libraries
START — Steps to Action Recovery and Treatment — is a program to provide direct referral information to people released from jail or police custody, back to the grips of addiction or other crisis. … No one says “alcoholic,” “thief” or “drug dealer …
Read more on Hunterdon County Democrat
Six killed in wrong-way crash on 60 Freeway in Diamond Bar; Fontana woman …
“There was alcoholic beverage evidence,” CHP officer Rodrigo Jimenez said. “We're treating this as … She was wheeled from a recovery room to a lock-up in the hospital and appeared to be on a respirator and under sedation Sunday afternoon. CHP …
Read more on San Gabriel Valley Tribune
More Alcoholic Recovery Information…
Get yourself to an Al-Anon meeting. The number to find a meeting is 1-888-4 ALANON. Let him work his program; you work yours. You’ll learn all the tools you need to cope with living with an alcoholic…and with life, too.
He may show “dry drunk” symptoms–he’ll be moody and may be even less pleasant than when he’s drunk. This is a time for him to deal with recovery as his number one priority. His recovery is his business; don’t get in the way. You really can help him best by getting into Al-Anon.
dear friends,
Most important thing in A.A is attending Meetings,following
AA program of 12 steps& most imp is selecting Sponcer.
AA program of 12 steps is spiritual,even Non-Alkohlic should take these 12 steps, you can take 12 steps along with your
boyfrind,you can attend meetings with him,help him get good sponcer. Please remember alkohlic allways feels lonely.
buy him a 12 pack
Lucky for some eh?
Well, if he “gets sober” in AA, you’ll have to get used to the idea that “the program” will come first in his life, and that if you question anything he’s learning in there, you will be told that you “don’t understand, because only an alcoholic can understand an alcoholic.”
You can expect to be told to attend Al-Anon meetings, ostensibly so you can learn how to support him, but when you go there, you will be told that you–like your boyfriend–have a disease and need a “program of recovery.”
If your boyfriend goes to AA and doesn’t like it, which is a strong possibility, then do NOT panic; in fact, count yourself and him too as lucky…because AA is not actually a recovery program at all. It’s more along the lines of a religious cult.
Look up Smart Recovery, LifeRing, SOS, Stanton Peele, and the Orange Papers online. Show them to your boyfriend if he is horrified to think AA is his only option. And good luck to you both.
You can help him stay grounded and focused. Monitor his progress and meet his sponsor. The program is great and offers a good support group but under the wrong guidance of his sponsor, he could be making decisions that affects both his and your life. He needs to find a sponsor that has similar values and drink experiences. You don’t want a homeless recovered drunk as a sponsor if your boyfriend was a functional alcoholic (drank too much but still can work and interact socially).
Have him visit various meetings to find one that fits him best. Age, social status, genders, attending drug addicts all make up the flavor of the meeting.
Remember, AA is not just for drunks — it’s for those who have a desire to quit drinking. AA is not denominational but if your boy friend has close ties with Christ already then you can expect a closer obsession if he picks a meeting with those ties.
Be there when he needs you. You want to have him call you first, not his sponsor. Do NOT get jealous of his sponsor taking up some of his time though….
Got luck with this…
Alcoholism, also known as “alcohol dependence,” is a disease that contributes to the craving of alcohol consumption. Alcohol abuse, at one time, was viewed primarily as moral problem. Today, not only do people view it as a health problem; many believe it to be a disease.
Since its beginnings in 1935, Alcoholics Anonymous has helped several million people in their plight for sobriety. Their focus is not to stop drunks from drinking, but to create a secure environment that supports its society of men and women who have taken the first step towards a better life against alcohol abuse. If you have the desire to quit your alcohol abuse, you are eligible to become a member.
Much of the Alcoholics Anonymous success is due to the effectiveness of the twelve-step program. Newcomers to the program are not asked to accept the twelve-step program until they feel ready too. They are only asked to attend the meetings with both an open mind and heart. There are currently two types of meetings:
Open Meetings
Meetings of this type are open to alcoholics, friends and their families that are interested in solving a personal drinking problem. The meeting typically begins with a set of AA announcements. The treasure will pass the hat for any donations to offset the cost of the meeting. Once the meeting adjourns, people are encouraged to mingle in an informal setting.
Closed Meeting
These meetings are reserved for alcoholics only. This meeting provides an arena for members to discuss each other’s experience and to share insights accumulated through the program. If you are interested in joining A.A., or would like more information please call your local Alcoholics Anonymous fellowship.