Treatment for alcohol use disorder can vary, depending on your needs. Treatment may involve a brief intervention, individual or group counseling, an outpatient program, or a residential inpatient stay. Working to stop alcohol use to improve quality of life is the main treatment goal. When it comes to overcoming alcoholism denial and taking the necessary steps toward recovery, finding the right support is crucial.

During an intervention with a loved one, family members show love and support while setting clear boundaries around substance abuse and consequences related to drinking. Clinical interventionist Drew Horowitz explains that an intervention with an alcoholic is not a confrontation, a fight or an argument. It’s a family meeting—often facilitated by a professional who understands what it takes to motivate someone to enter treatment. To learn more about the process and possible next steps for your family. The SRE records numbers of standard drinks required for up to four effects including a first effect, feeling dizzy or slurring speech, unstable standing, and unplanned falling asleep. SRE-5 scores for the first five times of drinking and is generated by the total drinks in that period needed across effects divided by the number of effects endorsed.

Characteristics associated with denial of problem drinking among two generations of individuals with alcohol use disorders

Sign up for free and stay up to date on research advancements, health tips, current health topics, and expertise on managing health. Addiction can be a never-ending cycle because addictive substances are both the comfort and the problem for the person who is addicted to them. Anger and frustration can be tough emotions when supporting someone with AUD. Reminding yourself that you can’t “fix” your loved one — but you can be there for them — can help you cool off, says Elhaj. All experts agree that when talking to your loved one, it’s best to be patient and compassionate. Another major deterrent for some people may be chemical dependence.

• Your ongoing recovery depends on continuing mental health treatment, learning healthier coping strategies, and making better decisions when dealing with life’s challenges.
• Some turn to alcohol to cope with trauma stemming from adverse childhood experiences such as abuse.
• For these individuals, dishonesty can be intentional or unintentional.
• People who are displaying denial are typically using it as a way to avoid facing truths that they are unable to deal with.
• These symptoms can be dangerous, so talk to your doctor if you are a heavy drinker and want to quit.

Coming to the rescue of a loved one who struggles with alcohol dependence may seem like the right thing to do, but it essentially allows them to never experience the negative consequences of their drinking. Alcoholism is a progressive disease, and over time it will get worse. As the person’s drinking continues to worsen over time, the alcoholism and denial consequences related to alcoholism increase. People with alcohol use disorder sometimes have reduced capacity for organizing and analyzing available evidence to draw a conclusion. This may cause rigid thinking or concreteness of thought, making it hard to change their minds on a topic like whether they have a serious drinking problem.

What Makes a Person an Alcoholic?

According to Conroy, it may be easy to get caught in denial with AUD if you subconsciously feel something is wrong with you at your core. It also might mean admitting that they don’t have it all together, and their exterior (and interior) world is crumbling. If you feel that any of our content is inaccurate, out-of-date, or otherwise questionable, please contact at

Continuing to drink even though your alcohol use is causing problems in your relationships. Getting drunk with your buddies, for example, even though you know your wife will be very upset, or fighting with your family because they dislike how you act when you drink. If your drinking is causing problems in your life, then you have a drinking problem. In some people, the initial reaction may feel like an increase in energy.

Do you have a drinking problem?

We have strict sourcing guidelines and only link to reputable media sites, academic research institutions and, whenever possible, medically peer reviewed studies. All Addiction Resource content is medically reviewed or fact checked to ensure as much factual accuracy as possible. You may even find that if you continue to press the issue, your loved one gets angry.