Hi, My friend is 34 years old single. He is been drinking every day from many years. I know him from past 4-6 years but couldn't meet him usually. He use to stay with parents but from few days his father is complaining about him he is not going to office regularly and fights with his parents on small issues and keeps on drinking and blame his parents for his situation and asked them to leave. Because of his behaviour he lost his current job that's when I meet him. I thought as a friend I can help him but things are getting worse. He is only looking for a reason to drink and blame his family. He in fact blame his parents for he being single. Now he have joined a new company and had started working and said will quit drinking but still in the same situation. I know he is going through depression but Sony know how I can help him as a friend to get him out of it and quit his drinking. It's not he didn't tried quiting but he cannot stay away from it for more than 4 days. Dr. please help can't see my friend in this situation. Looking for a positive response.

Dr. Akshata BhatPsychiatrist5yrs exp

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Alcohol dependence is associated with significant physical, mental and social problems. Physically, there can be liver failure, jaundice, vomiting of blood, passing blood in stools, stomach ulcers, damage to nerves of the body, swelling of legs, fluid collection in abdomen, and many more. Mentally, there is irreversible brain damage, worsening of anxiety or depression, triggering of psychosis and mood disorders, dementia, etc. From a social point of view, there may be isolation from neighbors or family, increased abusive behavior to children or spouses, legal problems, accidents, etc. Try to convince your friend to seek medical help. Get his liver function tests done; if they are deranged, that can be used as a motivation to seek psychiatric help. It is common to have anxiety, depression, etc in these patients. However this increases their risk of self harm and sucicide. Do not give him any medication as advertised on TV or newspapers, which claim to treat the patient of alcoholism without his knowledge. Anti craving medications are available which will help to reduce the craving. Consult a psychiatrist with experience in deaddiction. You may consult me if required. 

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