How Do You Tell Your Mother to Stop Drinking?

Question by xxPaRaMoReXXLoVeRxx: How do you tell your mother to stop drinking?
Okay, well my best friend (Emma)’s other best friend (Josh)’s mum gets totally drunk every night and he hates it. Emma’s mother and Josh’s other friends’ parents have tried talking to her but she just denies her problem. Josh wants to talk to her about it but doesn’t know how to bring it up with her.

So how can he bring it up with her??

Thanks
x

Best answer:

Answer by Angelica Di’Abolique
Tell Josh to get other family members involved. As many as he can, they are to write down bad experiences they have had with her drinking. Plus Josh must do the same, you as friends can write down things you have seen. When she is sober and not expecting it, have the family meet in a neutral place and tell her. Then ask certain things from her (Josh’s Uncle for example could do this or someone very close even Josh can). And if she does not comply to these requests, the welfare will be called.

Answer by Sean Roberts
Denial is the first symptom of alcoholism. “I only drink at night”, “I only drink wine”, the excuses go on and on. Alcoholism is a disease with psychological, physiological, social, and family aspects. An alcoholic will only engage in treatment when she feels that things are so bad for her that they can not possibly get worse. This is called hitting bottom. Josh’s mum has to hit bottom and choose treatment. Nothing anyone can do will expedite that decision. Trying to talk an alcoholic out of drinking will have the same level of success as trying to talk a cancer patient out of his cancer. Alcoholism is as much of a disease as cancer.

At this point, Josh needs to take care of himself. He should Join AL-ANON or Ala-teen. There are meetings all over the world. Your friend will meet people who have been where he is now. They can provide both emotional support to Josh, and tell Josh how they coped with the situation he is now in.

Sean Roberts

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