The summer of 2014 was a rough one. Twice you received phone calls that you wish you could forget. The first came in the very first days of summer. A call from your stepmother sent you immediately driving the three hours to see your Dad in the hospital. Your stepmom thought that your dad was having a stroke so she called the volunteer rescue squad to rush him to the closet emergency room 30 minutes away. By the time you and your family arrived, the doctor had determined that it was not a stroke. With your two teenage daughters present to hear the news, the doctor announced that your 83 year old father had an alarming blood alcohol content that had caused him to lose his balance. The alcohol, and the fact that he had been out doing yard work in the summer heat, had caused him to dehydrate.
The second time was at the end of the summer. This time you were six hours away from home vacationing with a friend in the Ozarks when you got the call from your stepmom. She was furious and said that if something did not change your dad would have to find somewhere else to live. She went on to explain that the night before your dad had called the local sheriff to complain about the city maintenance manager. Fueled by alcohol. your dad was screaming and swearing about the fact that the city employee was storing his personal vehicles in a city garage. The sheriff could have arrested your father for disorderly conduct, but he let it go this time. Your stepmom was embarrassed and angry. Something had to change.
Approximately 53% of adults in America have reported that one or more of their close relatives has a drinking problem. In some cases, these drinking problems are serious enough that the relative or friend with a drinking problem needs to be admitted to one of the available alcohol detox centers. Though it is not an easy step, sometimes this type of intervention is necessary to break the grip alcohol has on a loved one. Alcohol detox centers can provide strategies for coping with the illness of alcoholism before a major injury occurs.
While a general family practice doctor can provide initial counseling, in serious cases of addiction alcohol detox centers are often the best place for helping your loved one change his mindset and his lifestyle.
Alcohol is the number one drug problem in America. Although statistically those most vulnerable to problem drinking are young adults between the ages of 18 and 29, even the least susceptible 65 years older drinkers can be caught up in this addiction. Don’t spend any more time dreading the next phone call. Instead, talk to a counselor about the possible benefits of sending your loved one to an alcohol detox center.