Concerned about a family member?

How you can help to get someone started in recovery:

• Talk to the person you are concerned about, suggest getting help
• Call us or come in for a free screening
• If necessary, help the person get to their appointment

How to start:

• Approach the subject gently when they are not intoxicated
• Remember that things will not change if something is not done
• Rehearse what you want to say
• Have a clear mind
• Have a support person

Alcoholism:

• An alcoholic may only drink once a month, once a week, or daily
• Often minimize their drinking so others won’t know how much they really drink
• Often begin to drink more to get a buzz because their tolerance has increased
• Often think about drinking frequently
• When an alcoholic does not drink but their body is craving it they may go into what is known as withdrawal

Signs of Withdrawal:

• The shakes, vomiting, rapid pulse, heart palpitations, sleep problems, anxiety, paranoia, and sometimes seizures
• Depending on the person’s drinking and/or drug using history they may need medical detoxification.

Affected Others:

• Living with/caring about a person struggling with substance abuse is very painful. Call us – we offer services for Affected Others to learn how to cope and take care of oneself.