Hello Doctors, I am writing this on behalf of my friend. He is addicted to drink alcohol from last couple of years and still continuing frequently. Moreover, he is mentally and physically fit and a blood done too. How it would it affects him in his coming future and what are your suggestions over this?

Dr. Saul PereiraPsychologist47yrs exp

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Being fit is always very good for health. But an alcoholic is an alcoholic and in time many organs will be affected even though he may not see any signs now. Apart from his health he will also affect the family and all his children will carry genetic factors for alcoholism. If he is into business or working, he will soon not be able to continue and he will go into financial ruin. He will lose all his friends and become ostracized by his society. He will lose his dignity, self-esteem, self-confidence, and become a misfit. He will also lose his sexual capacity, liver function, heart function, kidney etc. Now it is difficult to give up because he has become addicted to alcohol and has a lot 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 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 his wife and the children and whoever else?s support he can get and act on it fast. 

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