A National Directory of Drug Treatment Centers and Alcohol Treatment Centers, Therapists and Specialists. A free, simple directory providing assistance and guidance for those seeking help regarding alcohol addiction, drug addiction, dependency and many other conditions that affect the mind, body and soul.
Call 888-647-0579 to speak with an alcohol or drug abuse counselor.

Who Answers?

Alcoholics affect everyone but help is available

effects of alcoholics

Alcoholics affect everyone in the situation.

Ann’s husband is an alcoholic.

Spouses of alcoholics have two options — they can leave the alcoholic or they can seek help and understanding in order to live with the person they love.

Ann chose the second option. For several years Ann has been attending Al-Anon. Ann is not her real name and her identity is protected because Al-Anon is an anonymous group, but she agreed to share her personal struggles in an interview with the Whitecourt Star.

Going to Al-Anon has helped Ann deal with the devastating disease of alcoholism.

“Instead of trying to fix the alcoholic we are just trying to lead happier and more manageable lives ourselves,” she said.

“After being in Al-Anon myself it has allowed me to see the person instead of the disease. For many years I just saw the disease and it’s horrible. Now I can see the person again.”

Although there has been much discussion about alcoholism, it is widely considered a disease, just as most addictions are. Ann said she wanted to share her story for National Addictions Awareness Week, which was held Nov. 18-22.

Ann wants spouses, children, friends and family members of alcoholics to know there is help out there. There are other people living with the same disease as they are.

“Alcoholism is a disease but the disease also affects the people around the alcoholic,” said Ann. “Just like alcoholism can distort the thinking of the alcoholic it can distort the thinking of the people around the alcoholic.”

Al-Anon is a support group for people living with an alcoholic. The focus of the group is not to blame the alcoholic or even focus on the drinker but rather to learn how to deal with the problem to live a happier life.

source:  Whitecourt Star

More Treatment & Detox Articles

It's easy to fall off the wagon during the holidays

Holiday time is party time, and no holiday is more associated with the drinking of alcohol than New Year’s Eve. For some people, it is especially difficult to cope with party invitations at this time of year. Those who are newly sober, and trying desperately to resist the temptation to relapse, often wonder how to….

Continue reading ›

Treatment for co-occurring disorder

People with Co-occurring disorder face both mental problems as well as alcohol addiction problems at the same time. This is a condition that occurs very often and hence the first treatment for the co-occurring disorder is the medical detoxification. It generally takes three to five days for the alcohol detoxification in a medically supervised center….

Continue reading ›

Your Social Network Affects Your Drinking Habits

Drinking Habits Problems

People who socialize with heavy drinkers are more likely to imbibe a bit too much themselves. And the same holds true for teetotalers: Those who have non-drinking friends and relatives are more likely not to consume alcohol themselves, a new study found. “People are organized by their drinking behavior more than would be predicted by….

Continue reading ›

Helping a Loved One through Bulimia Treatment and Recovery

recovery from bulimia

Hardships of Bulimia According to the National Eating Disorders Association, bulimia is a serious and potentially life-threatening eating disorder. Bulimia is characterized by a cycle of bingeing and compensatory behaviors, which include self-induced vomiting to undo or compensate for the effects of binge eating. Bulimia is a devastating eating disorder that will have numerous negative….

Continue reading ›

Top 3 Obstacles that Can Derail Your Recovery

addiction recovery

Your recovery all starts with a decision to get sober and stay that way—but even the best decisions, backed by the most profound desire to remain in control can come to an end in some cases. While your recovery is ultimately up to you, there are some obstacles that you will most certainly face along….

Continue reading ›

Calls to the general helpline will be answered by a paid advertiser. By calling the helpline you agree to our terms of use.

I NEED TO TALK TO SOMEONE NOWI NEED TO TALK TO SOMEONE NOW 888-647-0579Response time about 1 min | Response rate 100%
Who Answers?