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How to help an alcoholic parent
How to help an alcoholic parent
Spot the signs your parent is struggling with alcohol addiction and find out how a stay at Delamere wellness retreat could support them
Holistic approach to recovery
Personalised programmes
Flexible stays
24-hour care & support
Private luxury accommodation
Worried about an alcoholic parent?
Whether or not you live with your parents, alcohol addiction can take its toll on everyone. It can be especially hard if someone you love hasn’t recognised they have a problem. Family members often struggle to communicate their concerns with the person in question which can lead to a building resentment and tension between both parties. We want to offer guidance to anyone who has an alcoholic parent and reassurance that help is available.
Delamere has a team of alcohol addiction experts who can help your parent get the support they need. Our purpose-built wellness retreat in Cheshire provides a safe haven to begin addiction recovery with compassionate care from our experienced staff. We have a variety of intervention techniques for family and friends who are worried about a loved one and the impact alcohol is having on their lives.
If you want to help an alcoholic parent, contact our team today and learn more about the different programmes we offer here at Delamere.
Signs and symptoms of an alcoholic parent
People with alcohol use disorders are often deceptive about how much they drink and will try to cover up any signs of addiction. Your parent might hide bottles in unusual places around the house, make excuses for their behaviour or be flippant about how much they drink. Excessive alcohol consumption changes a person’s behaviour and can have negative consequences on work and home life. Here are some obvious signs that your parent has a problem with alcohol:
Neglecting your emotional and physical needs
Having unpredictable mood swings
Being aggressive or violent towards you
Losing interest in activities they previously enjoyed
Showing a lack of self-care and personal hygiene
Drinking even though it negatively affects you
vA person with an alcohol use disorder won’t be able to fulfil their role as a parent which can also have an impact on your health and well-being. There might not be enough food in the house, living conditions may be deteriorating, and basic needs may not always be met. If you are experiencing the negative effects of an alcoholic parent, it’s time to get help.
Is your parent struggling with alcohol addiction? Talk to us today.
How you can support an alcoholic parent
If you live with a mother or father who has an alcohol problem, it can also start to affect the way you think and act. You might become withdrawn, anxious or depressed, avoid confrontation and feel overwhelmed with the situation. While it is always difficult to approach someone about their drinking habits, saying something is better than doing nothing. Opening up the conversation can help you to determine if your parent needs specialist help and would benefit from an alcohol rehab programme.
Be caring and compassionate
When someone’s drinking is taking its toll on you it’s hard to feel sympathetic. But remember, alcohol addiction isn’t a choice; it’s a disease. Explain yourself rationally and listen carefully to their responses with compassion. Approach your mother or father when they are sober so that they remember the conversation and are less likely to be volatile. You could give examples of how their drinking is affecting life at home and the changes you would like to see going forward.
Create a sober environment
If your parent is drinking too much there are things you can do at home to make alcohol less accessible. Clear out the cupboards and, if total abstinence seems impossible, set some boundaries on the amount they can drink. For instance, don’t shop for them or give them money to spend on alcohol. Discourage friends or family members from drinking with them or taking them to places where alcohol is unavoidable. It might also help to introduce more activities that aren’t reliant on alcohol.
Stage an intervention
Tell family and friends about your concerns and formulate a plan of action. It’s important that your parent doesn’t feel “ganged up on” but sometimes staging an intervention is the only way you can get through to someone with an alcohol use disorder. It’s also crucial that you share how you’re feeling and gather support for your cause. Family therapy sessions can be particularly useful in helping your parent to stick to an alcohol rehab programme. It gives both parties a chance to share their point of view with an impartial listener.
Get professional help
Withdrawing from alcohol alone can be dangerous and if your loved one has been drinking heavily for a long time, they might benefit from specialist help at a treatment centre. As well as supporting your parent physically with an alcohol detox, they will have access to a range of psychotherapies to make sense of their addiction and aftercare services support them in lasting recovery.
The Delamere approach to helping an alcoholic parent
Delamere can give your parent all the help they need to overcome alcohol addiction and get back to full health. Every alcohol rehab programme begins with a medically supported alcohol detox in safe and comfortable surroundings. This will reduce any unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. We will assign a focal therapist to help your parent get to the root cause of their drinking and develop strategies to cope.
Our holistic therapists offer both one-to-one counselling and group therapy work as well as a range of somatic healing techniques to manage the complex psychological effects of addiction. We take a person-centred approach, helping your parent to find the methods that work best for them and will be most beneficial to them in daily life. Family members are encouraged to be involved at every stage of the process.
Even though each residential rehab programme is tailored to the individual, they are all based on our unique three-stage approach. This helps our guests to stop cravings for alcohol, start the healing process and grow beyond addiction with ongoing aftercare support.
Start
Spend time with our therapists to discover what led you to this behaviour in the first place
Delamere treatment model
Our core elements of treatment
We believe that alcohol addiction, whether stemming from a need to relieve stress or forget troubles – stems from somewhere. Rather than adhering to the conventional step-based programmes, we look at underlying factors that drive your behaviour. Only by recognising how you arrived at this point can you begin to positively shape your future.
Stopping the cycle of addiction or burnout safely and comfortably
Healing whatever
pain is causing
the behaviour
Instilling tools to help facilitate change and encourage continued growth
Why choose Delamere?
Holistic approach to recovery
Discreet location
Luxury ensuite accommodation
Personalised programmes
Flexible stays
24-hour care & support
On-site gym & health studio
Business & family lounges
Free collection service
Outcomes focused
Everything we do here is about outcomes. Focusing on getting you back to yourself again in the short term, but then growing beyond that when you leave Delamere. Helping you create the foundations for long-term recovery and growth.
Individual care
There’s no one-size-fits-all here. We listen, learn and tailor our programmes to meet your personal needs, whatever they may be. Your journey to recovery is yours, so we design our programmes with you in mind.
Creative therapies
Nature and creativity often bring out the best in people, especially after a difficult period in their life. We offer equine and art therapy, fire ceremonies, nature walks and more to help you relax, reflect and see the world in a new way.
Martin Preston, Founder & CEO at Delamere
Transformational stories
Want to help an alcoholic parent?
We can help your loved one overcome alcohol addiction.
Discuss a stay with usDoes your parent need help with alcohol addiction?
If your mother, father or another parent you know is showing signs of alcohol addiction, it’s important they get help.
Our admissions team is on hand 24/7 to help answer any questions about our alcohol detox programmes and make sure your loved one gets the support they need.
Call the team today on 0330 111 2015 to discuss the different options available.
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