Literally one in three families in our country knows firsthand how terrible alcoholism is when a close and dear husband becomes addicted. Thousands of women are pondering how to get their husbands to stop drinking, especially when a person is unaware of the problem and is not trying to fight the disease on their own. Let's talk about techniques you can use to give yourself a chance to save yourself and your spouse from alcoholism.
What is alcoholism?
There is an opinion that alcoholism can be cured with a simple volitional decision, and if a person is a drinker, then he simply does not want to change anything. First of all, we will challenge this theory, since alcoholism is the most real disease. Addiction can be characterized as both physical and psychological.
From a physiological point of view, the body is exposed to toxic substances, as a result of which metabolism is disrupted and all internal organs suffer. It degrades the brain and with it the central nervous system. An alcoholic suffers from poor health between alcohol consumption, does not adequately perceive reality, suffers memory loss.
From the point of view of psychology, the alcoholic "swamp" is no less dangerous - the alcoholic who drinks every day gets used to the state of carelessness and euphoria that he feels when taking ethanol, his sense of responsibility is erased. Addicted people often lose face and moral character, after which the people around them turn their backs on them. The large number of drunks who could not be cured or saved: dirt, the same alcoholics around and death in the future.
Obviously, no man willingly wants his life to turn into a nightmare. So, alcoholism is a disease! If her husband is an alcoholic and loves him, she be patient and help him cope with the disease.
The inner strength to quit alcohol
Let's go back to the theory that any alcoholic, independently and without help, can stop drinking forever, because for that you only need willpower and strength of character. The statement is only partially true, in cases where the addiction is exclusively psychological and has not yet caused physiological changes in the body.
It is possible to wean a husband from alcohol and drunkenness at home only when alcohol intake has not turned into systematic and uncontrolled bingeing, without which a person feels bad and is ready to sell his soul for a strong drink. If alcoholism has turned into physical attachment, people, as a rule, do not want to fight it. Alcohol restores a sense of euphoria and moral satisfaction, erases ill health, and falsely normalizes blood pressure, heart rate, and mental clarity. As soon as ethanol begins to be excreted from the body, the discomfort returns and the drunk returns to drink the precious liquid and drinks alcohol. In such cases, in order for a person to stop drinking, the intervention of specialists is necessary.
So can an alcoholic stop drinking on his own?
No, if the drink took the form of alcoholism and does not consist of the habitual and frequent consumption of alcohol at home.
What psychological help can be effective?
If you decide to save your husband from drunkenness, first think about what led him to drunkenness. As a general rule, only those binge-eaters who are deeply unhappy and experience their fears and problems quietly, on the inside. To convince your husband to stop drinking in the future, you need to understand the root of the problem and try to eradicate it:
- Try to spend more time with your loved one and don't hide how much he means to you. Brainstorm activities together and think about what your husband was addicted to before the addiction.
- In no case, do not blame your husband, do not blackmail, threaten or yell - you will only achieve the opposite effect and the person will become even more closed in on himself. Don't think about how to teach your husband a lesson about drunkenness, but think about how to help your spouse.
- Try to have a heart-to-heart conversation and say how happy you would be if your spouse chose a sober lifestyle again.
A person who feels important and useful is more likely to want to give up alcohol.
If we talk about the need for professional help, to begin with, you still have to figure out how to persuade her husband to stop drinking, because it is almost impossible to force a person to change without her consent. In rare cases, the alcoholic himself accepts the treatment, because it means that the disease is obvious and completely dominates the drunkard. Her success will be more real if she is patient and sources kind words and support for her husband.
Let's say she convinced her husband to seek professional help. Let's talk about what methods are considered effective and practiced in the fight against alcoholism.
Hypnotherapy
Surely everyone has heard of alcoholics coding using hypnosis. The essence of the procedure is to introduce a dependent person into a trance state and suggest certain programs. With the help of real hypnosis, a qualified and experienced doctor can do a lot: get rid of fears and insecurities, block depression, get to the bottom of the root cause of alcoholism.
If you have opted for hypnotherapy, look for a good qualified specialist who has made a name for himself in this area. Remember that among doctors there are also scammers who will not only help, but can also harm your husband.
Read more about this direction in the article "Coding with hypnosis of alcoholism".
Consider the most effective and popular hypnosis techniques:
- Autogenic training.
- Hypnosuggestational therapy.
- Anchoring method.
Each of them deserves attention and is famous for its effectiveness.
Autogenic training
This type of training is based on the processes of self-hypnosis, because within each personality there is an enormous potential and a powerful energetic force. The method involves minimal intervention from the psychotherapist: the doctor only teaches the alcoholic the basics of self-hypnosis. His task is to give momentum and direct the patient's thinking in the right direction.
After learning the basic techniques, the outcome of the treatment depends solely on the alcoholic himself and his desire to recover. Autogenous intervention is productive only in the early stages of alcoholism, or after more serious psychological and medical assistance has already been provided.
Hypnosuggestational therapy
The following technique is based on the treatment performed during a hypnotic trance or so-called sleep under hypnosis. In this case, it is very important that the alcoholic is aware of the problem, sincerely wants to get rid of it, and trusts the specialist.
The session includes several stages.
- First of all, it is important to establish a relationship of trust between an alcoholic and a specialist, because to enter a trance, a person must be relaxed and must not resist.
- After the usual conversation, the specialist resorts to psychological techniques designed to spread the patient's attention. At the same time, it is essential to keep the conversation going. One or two techniques are enough to put a person to sleep.
- After the alcoholic enters a trance, the doctor begins to instill certain programs aimed at quitting alcoholism.
The effectiveness of this method is individual and depends on the professionalism of the doctor and the degree of suggestion of the patient. Some relatives of alcoholics noted that the effect began to manifest itself after the first session, when others needed a course that included 3 to 6 visits.
Anchor method
This technique differs in that a person does not have to be immersed in a hypnotic dream.
The goal of the therapist is to find and program the alcoholic's consciousness for certain unconscious "cause and effect" actions. In simple terms, we can give a simple example: an anchor is programmed for a word or a memory, before the "collision" with which an alcoholic experiences certain emotions. Positive sensations induce the patient to perform certain actions, negative anchors provoke negative sensations and play the role of a kind of stop signal.
The anchor method is effective in combination with drug treatment and only when the alcoholic interacts and trusts the specialist.
Group psychotherapy
Another way to prevent a husband from drinking alcohol is to send him to group psychotherapy sessions, known around the world as the Society of Alcoholics Anonymous.
The principle of operation of such groups is simple: classes in a group of patients with an ailment show the alcoholic that he is not alone and that there are many people with the same problem. "If they manage, I can too, " thinks the addict and the ice begins to move. Alcoholics communicate with each other, share experiences and problems, support each other. Being in such a society is beneficial for introspection and maintaining self-esteem.
The therapist uses play techniques to help alcoholics feel part of a team, which is also an important part of recovery.
The course of psychotherapy lasts several years, the optimal number of people in a group is 5 to 10. The method is long, but very effective.
Family therapy
Family groups are not considered less effective, the purpose of which is to stop drunkenness with the help of care and attention, as well as to teach the wives of drinking husbands to support and understand their soul mate.
The families of addicts along with alcoholics meet in small groups and spend time together, which is especially valuable in the period when a person has just completed drug treatment and it is very difficult for him to "reestablish" in the society. Initially, the therapy is accompanied by the constant presence of a specialist who teaches wives to support and respect their husbands again, and also practices various trainings aimed at reducing anxiety. It is important to clearly remember the advice of a psychologist and show understanding. Another advantage of this method is the interaction with other families with the same problem: both the alcoholic husband and his wife see that they are not alone in their abyss, they feel their belonging to society, they become more relaxed, determined and friendly.
All the techniques we have listed are related to psychological assistance, but often therapy cannot completely eradicate the problem of alcoholism and is practiced exclusively in combination with medications.
Drug treatment for alcoholism
Let's talk about how to deal with her husband's drunkenness, if she doesn't want it and she isn't willing to voluntarily go to the "brainwashing".
Often times, the wives of alcoholics complain that their drinking husband categorically does not want to be treated and does not believe that he is ill at all. In such cases, one cannot speak of professional psychological assistance, because even if it is possible to agree with an alcoholic husband to go to a psychotherapist, he will do so as a favor and will not reinforce the efforts of the specialist with feedback and attention. desire to recover.
The solution to such situations is medication and hospital treatment.
Let's consider the common methods of such treatment in more detail:
- Coding. The principle of coding is to instill in the alcoholic the information that drinking alcohol can lead to health problems and even death. For this, alcohol injections, tablets and blockers are used, as well as electrical impulse therapy. The method is effective at any stage of alcoholism, even the most serious. Wives have a new lever: they try to scare the husband, constantly reminding them that ethanol will lead to torture and death. Some even try to cure their husbands of alcoholism without his knowing it by adding drugs to their food. This categorically cannot be done, because allergic reactions are possible. For more information, see the article "Coding Alcoholism. "
- Vitamin therapy. The fact is that during a binge, the body suffers intoxication, losing useful substances and enzymes. If you give the body what it needs again, the alcohol withdrawal pains are significantly weakened and the person has new strength to fight addiction. The drugs offered to the alcoholic contain a large amount of vitamins B1, B2, B6, B12, C, PP; they have a tonic effect and improve the well-being of the alcoholic.
- Acupuncture is another effective treatment for alcoholism. After diagnosing the stage of the disease, the specialist acts on various points on the body with acupuncture needles. Thus, the body's cleansing process is activated, psychological dependence is weakened. Detailed information is presented in the article "Acupuncture for alcoholism".
- Plasmapheresis is a therapeutic device that works by purifying blood plasma. The blood passes through a special filter and returns to the body of the alcoholic. The method is not in great demand, as many fear fighting the disease so radically.
All these methods are suitable for compulsory treatment, which is agreed and planned without the knowledge of the husband. It is important that the alcoholic is constantly monitored by specialists and that the treatment is carried out exclusively by professionals.
Alternative treatment of alcoholism with non-traditional methods.
It is essential to mention the fight against alcoholism with home remedies. These include all kinds of tinctures and decoctions from a variety of plants. Here are some of them:
- Centaur
- Celery root.
- Lavrushka.
- Apple.
- Honey.
- Clefthoof root.
- Soda.
- Plants with emetic effect.
Home remedies such as worm and insect extracts and infusions are also popular.
Counseling and literature to help combat alcoholism.
If her husband realizes that he is an alcoholic and is willing to make an effort to fight him, the battle can be considered won. Medical and psychological professionals offer books to alcoholics that help them fight any addiction, among which is alcoholism in the first place.
There are also a host of private offices that you can go to for help from professionals.
We analyze what must be done to stop the husband from drinking. The prognosis of recovery depends not only on the individual characteristics of the alcoholic's body and his desire to heal, but also on her support and participation. In no case try to teach her husband a lesson in drunkenness with rudeness and anger, because this will have the opposite effect and her drunk will only make sure that he is not loved and understood.
How to get your husband to stop drinking alcohol? He admits that he is ill, convinces your husband of this and shows him that you are not indifferent to his fate.