My father isn't stop drinking, but his health is too bad and he is not listening to our words. Doctors telling there is no cure for his problem. What should I do now?

Question

It sounds like he is an advanced stage of alcoholism and needs admission to a rehabilitation center to ideally help him deal with this problem. There are no guarantees about stopping one?s addiction. But that does not mean we should not keep at it, over and over again until we succeed. Now it is difficult to give up all by himself because he has become addicted to alcohol and there is so much to do. Under such circumstances it is best that you admit him into a de-addiction center and let him stay there for at least 6 months and after that he can attend counseling with a professional. There are medicines that help with the drinking just to ease the initial craving and to act as an antabuse i.e. he will have a serious reaction, if he consumes even a small quantity of alcohol or alcohol based substances. It has to be carefully monitored to see that he not only consumes the medication but is also avoiding alcohol. Ultimately, it is his will power and the support that he receives from the medical fraternity and his close and dear ones. He must also learn to substitute and deal with the oral need, a rigid value system, the script issue, and of course take a look at all the genetic factors to plan a strategy not to get into what is called ?cross addictions? i.e. another form of addiction that may appear alright but is in fact as bad as the primary addiction. The center or hospital and the counselor will advise and guide him on several measures and precautions he will need to take to stay with his resolve. Even after the rehabilitation he must attend AA meetings and continue this support for a long time. The family will also need to attend some sessions and go for Al-anon meetings for their co-dependency issues. He cannot be treated in isolation because the family has gotten used to his drinking and have made some unhealthy adaptations to somehow cope. The children will also have to attend meetings to work out their issues because of the father?s habit. In fact, they are all suffering from the Adult Children Of Alcoholics Syndrome (ACOAs), which in effect means that they are genetically predisposed to alcoholism or can have cross addiction problems, and that they will have similar traits of the abusing alcoholic but in a milder form. There are special support groups for them all over the world. Should they touch or indulge in alcohol or any addictive substances or behaviors, they could also become full-fledged addicts themselves. Make a serious plan with whoever else?s support he can get and act on it fast. If he is not cooperative, there are some centers that will come and pick him up, after he is completely drunk, and admit him by force. This will however, require the wife and family?s consent.

Saul Pereira · Accepted Answer

It sounds like he is an advanced stage of alcoholism and needs admission to a rehabilitation center to ideally help him deal with this problem. There are no guarantees about stopping one?s addiction. But that does not mean we should not keep at it, over and over again until we succeed. Now it is difficult to give up all by himself because he has become addicted to alcohol and there is so much to do. Under such circumstances it is best that you admit him into a de-addiction center and let him stay there for at least 6 months and after that he can attend counseling with a professional. There are medicines that help with the drinking just to ease the initial craving and to act as an antabuse i.e. he will have a serious reaction, if he consumes even a small quantity of alcohol or alcohol based substances. It has to be carefully monitored to see that he not only consumes the medication but is also avoiding alcohol. Ultimately, it is his will power and the support that he receives from the medical fraternity and his close and dear ones. He must also learn to substitute and deal with the oral need, a rigid value system, the script issue, and of course take a look at all the genetic factors to plan a strategy not to get into what is called ?cross addictions? i.e. another form of addiction that may appear alright but is in fact as bad as the primary addiction. The center or hospital and the counselor will advise and guide him on several measures and precautions he will need to take to stay with his resolve. Even after the rehabilitation he must attend AA meetings and continue this support for a long time. The family will also need to attend some sessions and go for Al-anon meetings for their co-dependency issues. He cannot be treated in isolation because the family has gotten used to his drinking and have made some unhealthy adaptations to somehow cope. The children will also have to attend meetings to work out their issues because of the father?s habit. In fact, they are all suffering from the Adult Children Of Alcoholics Syndrome (ACOAs), which in effect means that they are genetically predisposed to alcoholism or can have cross addiction problems, and that they will have similar traits of the abusing alcoholic but in a milder form. There are special support groups for them all over the world. Should they touch or indulge in alcohol or any addictive substances or behaviors, they could also become full-fledged addicts themselves. Make a serious plan with whoever else?s support he can get and act on it fast. If he is not cooperative, there are some centers that will come and pick him up, after he is completely drunk, and admit him by force. This will however, require the wife and family?s consent.