Is she an alcoholic?!
Question: My Nan opens the bottle of vodka when she gets home from work. The alcohol she drinks is 45%, and she drinks at least 300ml a night (sometimes more). Each glass she pours has 100ml in it!! I have been living with her for 6 months now, and not seen a single night where she hasn't had a drink. She says the reason she drinks, is because she has a shunt in her head since she a had a stroke 4 years ago, and helps her deal with the burning pain in her head. She's a grown woman, and she makes her own decisions, therefore, I feel I have no right to tell her what she does. How can I encourage her to drink less - what should I do?? I won't make her alcoholic drinks, because i don't want to be seen as encouraging it, or accepting it.
Is she an alcoholic??
Answers: My Nan opens the bottle of vodka when she gets home from work. The alcohol she drinks is 45%, and she drinks at least 300ml a night (sometimes more). Each glass she pours has 100ml in it!! I have been living with her for 6 months now, and not seen a single night where she hasn't had a drink. She says the reason she drinks, is because she has a shunt in her head since she a had a stroke 4 years ago, and helps her deal with the burning pain in her head. She's a grown woman, and she makes her own decisions, therefore, I feel I have no right to tell her what she does. How can I encourage her to drink less - what should I do?? I won't make her alcoholic drinks, because i don't want to be seen as encouraging it, or accepting it.
Is she an alcoholic??
Yes, as a recovering alcoholic I would say she probably is. I am concerned about excessive drinking with the shunt. It can raise blood pressure and increase the risk of stroke. You, however, can't stop her. I recommend Alanon family group or Ala-teen for YOU, to help you deal with her drinking.
Here's a link to their web site. They are there to help.
http://www.al-anon.alateen.org/
Yes, she is an alcoholic if she needs to drink every day. Aspirin would be the right choice after stroke, not alcohol. If she can't see that she has a problem, she won't get better. Try to help her if you can.