Brother of Someone Who is Addicted to Alcohol or Drugs

If you are the brother of someone who is addicted to alcohol or drugs, you may have mixed feelings about the situation. It can be incredibly difficult to watch someone you love suffer, but there can also be feelings of anger because this person is causing so much suffering for those around them. It is as if this person doesn’t care how much their actions hurt other people, and they may have already turned the family upside down because of their behaviour. The addicted sibling can be a source of embarrassment and shame, and they may even have a history of being physically or verbally abusive to family members. In some cases, this person will have stolen money or belongings in order to feed their habit, and they have also stolen the attention away from other members of the family. Being the brother of a person who is addicted to alcohol or drugs can be a frustrating business, and this is why it can be tempting just to try to ignore them or cut them out of your life completely – sometimes this will be the only viable option.

Why Do Addicted Siblings Behave the Way They Do?

The behaviour of the person who is addicted to alcohol and drugs is unacceptable, but it is important to keep in mind that nobody ever asks to end up this way. Addiction is like an illness that interferes with the person’s ability to think rationally. The denial that so often goes hand in hand with addiction makes it hard for the person to understand their situation. They will usually have all types of justifications for why they behave as they do, but they may fail even to consider that it is alcohol and drugs that is the real source of their problem. When people are caught up in the denial of addiction, they are more likely to believe that it is only these substances that make their life bearable.

The good news is that addicted siblings can and do escape this type of behaviour. They can eventually reach a stage where the pain of addiction becomes impossible to ignore, and they become sick and tired of feeling sick and tired. Once the individual has reached this point (sometimes referred to as rock bottom), there will be a lot that can be done to help them. There are also things that can be done to help them reach this point. In the meantime, you will be able to get support from groups such as Families Anonymous or Alateen.

How to Help a Sibling End Their Addiction

Once a sibling becomes ready to change their behaviour, you will be able to help them by offering your support an encouragement. There are also practical things that can be done such as arranging a residential rehab. We are experts in the field of addiction treatment and rehab placement, so we will be happy to offer you advice on this. Just contact us on 0800 024 1478 or text “help” to 66777 and we will phone you right back.

Another option that your family might want to consider is an intervention. This is where the individual is confronted by their loved ones and put in a position where they are given the option of getting help or losing the support of this group. The intervention can be a very powerful way to get somebody to hit rock bottom, but it does need to be handled correctly. It can also be important to have a rehab ready so that if the person does agree to get help that there will be somewhere for them to go immediately – this is important because the determination to quit can disappear if not acted upon immediately.

Help for family, friends, and close ones is just as important as the help people suffering with addiction need. Seek support to find the right path.