Is My Son an Alcoholic

If there was a perfect way to protect your son from the harmful effects of alcohol addiction, then addiction would be undoubtedly less of an issue for millions of families. However, there is no perfect solution and alcoholism still continues to affect households around the world. 

Some parents think their son’s alcohol addiction will just get better with some time. However, the truth is that alcohol abuse almost always signifies a troubling future. If you are wondering – is my son an alcoholic? – it is important to learn the warning signs of this type of addiction and what you can attempt to do about it. 

If you have already talked to your son about his alcoholism and he has agreed to get help, please have him reach out to our Harmony Oaks Recovery Center team today. 

Address the Enabling Behaviors

It is important to learn how to identify addiction habits and behaviors, so you can recognize them in your son. It is also important that you recognize your own behaviors, so you know whether you are supporting or enabling your son. 

How do you know if you are enabling him? Enabling is when someone attempts to fix issues for other people, but they do so in ways that stop the person from taking responsibility for their actions. Most of the time when you enable someone, it also prevents them from getting the treatment they need. Some of the signs of enabling that you should know about include:

• Creating excuses for the habits and behaviors your son has
• Taking over your son’s responsibilities such as cooking, cleaning, doing laundry, paying bills, etc.
• Getting your son out of legal trouble
• Giving or lending your son money
• Drinking alongside your son
• Pleading, arguing, or scolding your son

If you continue to enable your son, they are likely to continue their addictive lifestyle for longer.

Research shows that around 1 in every 10 people who have an alcohol addiction do get the care they need. If you and others in your son’s life can end their enabling behaviors, he will have a much better chance of getting the treatment he needs. 

Recognizing Alcoholism in Your Son

As a parent, it is a normal desire to want what is best for your son. As your son becomes an adult, you want them to be successful. However, in many families, the journey is not always easy. People are constantly exposed to cultural differences, life’s obstacles and other tough situations in life. Sometimes, they use or even abuse alcohol to get through these times. 

With this being said, there are some signs of alcohol abuse that you may want to look for in your son.

Alcohol Abuse Signs 

It can be tough to understand if drinking has become an issue for your son. There are numerous Americans that consume alcohol regularly. However, there are also many people who lose control over their drinking. Some of the alcohol abuse signs that you may recognize in your son include:

• Having blackouts 
• Experiencing short-term memory loss 
• Becoming irritable 
• Having severe mood swings
• Making excuses for their drinking habits such as needing to handle stress
• Drinking instead of taking care of other obligations and/or responsibilities
• Acting different than their normal self
• Being distant from loved ones
• Drinking in secret
• Only hanging out with people that are okay with his drinking
• Feeling hungover when he isn’t drinking 
• Constantly asking people for money
• Being evasive about their answers when you ask about how much or when they drink
• Sneaking out to drink

These are some of the common alcohol abuse signs. If you find that your son is doing these things, it may be time to hold an intervention. 

There are also some signs of alcohol addiction in teenagers that you may want to know about, too. 

Changes in Teenagers Who Consume Alcohol

As noted above, there are some things that may change in your teenage son if he is abusing alcohol, as well. Some of these changes that you may notice include:

• Having new issues in school such as low grades, disciplinary action, or poor attendance
• Rebelling against the rules in your household 
• Breaking curfew
• Lying and/or stealing
• Hanging out with a new crowd of people
• Not being involved in recent interests 
• Not wanting to wake up in the morning 

If you spot these signs in your teenage son, it is vital to know how you should approach the situation. Our Harmony Oaks team is here to help you and your son today. 

Properly Address Alcohol Abuse 

There is years of research regarding the science of addiction. You can’t reach out to your son about their alcohol addiction if you aren’t sure how to properly address the issue. Alcohol addiction is truly a matter of life or death. It is important to understand that your son may have numerous problems related to his addiction such as those regarding his health, finances, job and relationships. 

The good news is that our Harmony Oaks team is ready to help you learn the best techniques in handling your son’s addiction. Some of these tips that you can use include:

• Finding the best time to talk (don’t talk to your son when he is under stress or when he is drunk)
• Focusing on the results (explain how his drinking affects his overall wellbeing and health, express your concerns over the harm his alcoholism has on his life and others, don’t place blame, focus on his recovery, and encourage sobriety)
• Be ready for pushback (most people who are confronted about their alcohol addiction don’t accept help right away, they may get defensive or deny they have a problem in the first place, it may take some time for them to come around)
• Staying connected (even after you have talked to your son about his addiction, you should connect with him again afterward to check and see if he is ready to get help)

If you can do these things, you have the best opportunity to help your son get into the treatment he needs. If he is ready to do this, please reach out to our Harmony Oaks team today. 

Get Your Alcoholic Son Help Today

Now that you know more about the signs of alcohol abuse and what to do to help your son if he is an alcoholic, you can schedule an intervention to talk to him. Hopefully, he will be receptive to getting treatment.

Contact us today, here at Harmony Oaks Recovery Center, to get your son the alcohol addiction treatment he needs.