My friend has recently started to drink alcohol on a daily basis.?!
Question: I think it's starting to become a problem. She is on a gap year and has a crappy full time job where they always make her work overtime, and she has various other problems. I want to help her but don't know how. I've told her the drinking is only a temporary fix, and when it wares off she will feel depressed again, but she won't listen. I am worried she has started to become addicted to it now. What can I do/ say?
Answers: I think it's starting to become a problem. She is on a gap year and has a crappy full time job where they always make her work overtime, and she has various other problems. I want to help her but don't know how. I've told her the drinking is only a temporary fix, and when it wares off she will feel depressed again, but she won't listen. I am worried she has started to become addicted to it now. What can I do/ say?
She will only stop when she has reached her bottom. you can only point her toward AA or Rehab but ultimately it's her choice.
So?
Ok this situation is more common then one may think. There is nothing that you can really do but maybe get her some help.. AA works for some people. Alcoholism is a very progressive disease and will rapidly take over her life and she wont even notice it
nothing/she wont stop til she is ready
You could try to give her an ultimatum, if it would get her attention.
There's nothing you can do for your friend until she realizes that she has a problem. That may take a while, and it may be painful for her. You must not blame yourself. Alcohol abuse is not the fault of the friends or family members of the drinker, although she may try to make it seem that way to ease her own guilt.
HOWEVER, there is something you can do for yourself that will have a good impact on her. Find a meeting of ALANON, a group made up of family and freinds of alcoholics. Look for them in the phone book or on line. They are wonderful folks who can help you learn to live with your friend's problem and to be supportive of her without enabling her self-destructive behavior.