Coping with problem drinking - dos and don'ts
DO
Try to understand why people drink and how dependence develops. Talk to a professional like a GP or specialist service like Alcoholics Anonymous if you need to
Look after yourself and your family life – try not to let the other person’s drinking interfere
Get support for yourself
Understand your own way of coping
Take care of yourself
DON’T
Make excuses for the problem drinker
Nag, threaten or lecture them
Try to use emotional blackmail to force them to stop drinking
Blame yourself or let them blame you for their drinking
Handle or protect them from the consequences of their drinking – try and make them face these themselves
Lose sight of the person behind the drinking. You can love the person while disliking their behaviour
You might also like to read:
Spotting the signs of problem drinking
Why can't they stop? Understanding dependence
How to talk to a person about their drinking