Seeking professional help helps you understand how your parents’ alcoholism has affected your life and how this experience influences your decisions as an adult. The best therapist is one licensed to offer mental health assistance and has previously worked with adult children of alcoholics and trauma survivors. Having an alcoholic parent can be difficult, so it’s important to get the help you need to take care of yourself. If possible, try to find a safe place to go when your parent is drinking, like a library, friend’s house, or a local park. Remind yourself that your parent’s drinking is not your fault or responsibility.

Establishing and Maintaining Healthy Boundaries

It’s challenging trying to learn how to help an alcoholic parent and get them back on track, especially if you’re young. Most importantly, the person with the AUD should consider treatment, as rehab can aid not only the individual but also the family as a whole. However, the way you speak and interact with children also may lessen the impact of a parent with a SUD.

Delaying alcohol use also lowers risk of substance abuse

Therapy and 12-step programs help adult children of alcoholic parents to come to terms with their trauma and overcome it. Dealing with an alcoholic parent isn’t easy, but it’s easier when other people support you. Adult children of alcoholics often feel shame about their parent’s behaviors. This can get in the way of talking to other people about what is going on. Research has shown that adult children of alcoholics have higher rates of mental health issues.4 You should only help your parent if you’re comfortable with it. The behavior of a person in the throes of addiction can be unpredictable, violent, and even at times traumatizing.

Once your parents’ have committed to a treatment program, it is important you do not make excuses for them if they relapse or continue drinking. According to the NIAAA, it is common for an alcoholic’s family to make excuses if they continue drinking or if they suffer a relapse. By covering up or excusing your parents’ relapses, you are enabling them to continue to drink with no conscience. For every excuse you make, it is telling both of them it is okay to carry on drinking. Feelings of frustration are normal but you should avoid continually confronting your parents about their drinking, especially if you are doing it to try to make them feel guilty. Family support can be a game-changer when dealing with an alcoholic parent.

Do: Prepare for the conversation.

For example, say “I worry when you drink” instead of “You’re always drunk.” Pick words that show you understand their struggle. “If a kid starts using at 13, and they have a genetic predisposition, they’re way more likely to have problems later on,” says Squeglia. ACEs cover an extensive range of situations where children directly face lousy behavior by their parents while growing up. Alcoholism is one of these adverse childhood experiences, and it can disrupt the normal development of coping skills. Children growing up in an alcoholic home will experience in adulthood many adverse effects.

Signs Your Parent is an Alcoholic

how to deal with alcoholic parent

Velez says to think of the conversation as a “care-frontation” rather than a confrontation. These conversations aren’t easy, so here are some do’s and don’ts to keep in mind. This is because everyone around you can be affected by https://northiowatoday.com/2025/01/27/sober-house-rules-what-you-should-know-before-moving-in/ the disease. Remember that the point of the conversation is to show concern. Avoid outright telling your parent that they have a problem. Ultimately, it’s important to be able to leave the house if things become out of hand or dangerous.

how to deal with alcoholic parent

If someone you love has decided to try to reduce their drinking, what can you do to support them on the path to a healthier relationship with alcohol? It begins by changing our thinking about heavy drinking; thinking that is often flawed and based in outdated myths and beliefs about how best to manage an alcohol problem. If your son is battling drug addiction, professional help like detox, rehab, therapy, and counseling is available.

Living with an alcoholic can be one of the most emotionally taxing ways to cohabitate. Unfortunately, moving out is often not an option for many people. We have plenty of life lessons that we’ve learned throughout our lives that we feel can help you make your life better. Let me say just how pleased we are to have you come visit our little bit of the big world! It’s our mission to “share our experiences, so you can make the most of yours.” We have plenty of lessons we’ve learned along the way that we feel can help you make your life better.

However, you’ll need to approach them with care and compassion to help them get help and stick to the program. If your parent is in denial about their drinking, encourage them to seek individual therapy. A trained therapist can help them understand their problem by providing a safe space to discuss them openly.

Notice how a parent’s substance problem makes you feel. Use words (and not harmful actions) to express how you feel and why. While supporting a loved one, it’s easy to neglect your own needs. However, self-care is essential—not only for your well-being but also to maintain the energy and strength required to help them. Alcoholism, also referred to as alcohol use disorder (AUD), is a disease—not a moral failing. Remember that your parent’s alcohol problem is not your fault.

Studies have shown that AUD runs in families.2  Genes play a significant role in the development of alcohol abuse. An estimated 50 to 65% of people who have a parent with AUD will also develop the disorder. For example, your parent might be willing to accept treatment in a facility located in another city. By helping your parent explore additional treatment options, you can reassure them that they’ll receive the sober house professional help they need to stop drinking and achieve sobriety.

Alcoholism is a disease, which produces symptoms just like any other disease or illness. Just as with most diseases, there is treatment available for alcoholics if they choose to seek it. Read on to find out more on how to deal with an alcoholic parent and help get them the treatment and support they need. If all your efforts have failed or you don’t feel confident approaching your parent about their drinking, you can seek professional help to stage an intervention. UKAT works with some of the UK’s best professional interventionists who can advise you on every step of the process.

Why won’t my parent stop drinking?

Parents may often feel compelled to provide their children with a place to live. As a parent of an addict, in an effort to express their love and provide help, they often offer unconditional support to their addicted adult children. The result, unfortunately, is rarely what they intend. More often than not, parents who fail to set boundaries only end up enabling their children’s substance abuse — and, moreover, hurting themselves in the process. They worry it may trigger a parent’s drinking or substance use.

You want to be able to trust this support system and be honest and upfront about your living situation and what you are experiencing. Remember, seeking help for yourself is not only crucial for your own well-being, but it can also positively contribute to the overall journey toward your parent’s recovery. By taking care of yourself, you can maintain the strength and resilience needed to navigate the challenges that come with having an alcoholic parent. However, it’s important to understand that intervention for alcoholism is a complex process that requires the individual’s willingness to seek help and change.