Alcoholism: Step One-Admitting to being out of control
Alcohol addiction is a terrible burden. Alcoholics come in all ages, shapes and sizes and some, tragically, are hardly old enough to drink yet incredibly have an alcohol dependency. Older alcoholics might be experiencing elderly problems that aggravate their addiction, such as disability: it is very difficult to drink secretly if you are dependant on someone else to buy the alcohol.
As the elderly alcoholic becomes more reliant on others to provide alcohol, his addiction becomes more apparent, usually followed by resentment as caring friends and relatives eventually refuse to buy an unlimited supply.
Alcoholics with elderly problems have probably been drinking for many years. The key to beating an addiction is always taking the first step of admitting there is a problem. For an elderly drinker, as with all drinkers, this is often the step that is the most difficult and one that seems impossible to take.
Sometimes, elderly alcoholics do not face up to their addiction until they have become dependant on someone else to a debilitating degree. A man (or woman; alcoholism does not discriminate) who has spent most of his working life drinking to excess and being unable to give up drinking, will not see this as a problem until someone else is involved. That someone might be a professional caretaker, or a member of the family, another person with elderly problems or even another alcoholic.
At some stage, elderly alcoholics usually have usually tried and failed to give up drinking. Sometimes, the act of trying to stop drinking will have lasted only a few hours; sometimes a few days; albeit unsuccessfully. As the alcoholic ages and elderly problems such as forgetfulness or dementia set in, the addicts behaviour typically becomes more difficult with retirement allowing him (or her) more time in which to drink.
Regardless of age or circumstance, the first step to alcohol addiction control is always admitting there is a dependency on alcohol. An addict finds this admission incredibly difficult and will sometimes experience a real sense of loss, failure and despair at having to face up to the fact that they are out of control.
The theory that all alcoholics know they are alcoholics is not true. Someone who is able to stop drinking for a few days might easily believe they are still in control of their ability to stop completely: “Well, I stopped for three whole days last week, so that proves I am not an alcoholic”. In fact, it only proves that the addict can stop drinking for three days. The effect of alcohol on the addict and the inability to be without it is what derails their effort to truly conquer the problem.
Alcoholic dependency in a person with elderly problems will already have caused considerable inconvenience throughout their life. They might have been unable to go to work because they have been in an alcohol induced sleep; they might have been unable to pay their bills (alcohol is expensive). Facing up to the problem is hard enough at any time but an aging alcoholic might also have elderly problems that aggravate efforts at recovery.
Alcoholism
Facing Up to Alcohol: Admitting to Being Out of Control is part of Boomer Yearbook’s continuing series of baby boomers psychological coaching tips and how to alleviate elderly problems. We believe knowledge is power. We’d love to hear what you think.
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