Expert: Druideck - 6/19/2009

Question
Hello, my sister may finally take my advise and move interstate to be with me during her advance stages of alcohol abuse, her doctors have told her that if she continues to drink she will surely die and i am so scared..my husband and i moved to be with her a year and a half ago and she shunned me totally, ever since i have let her know that i will be there and will do what ever it takes to help..now that she is at her darkest moments she is considering my proposal and i am scared..where do i go for advise or info? i have been searching on the net for two days and can't find anything that can help..can you give me some sites please?
Is there ever a "too far gone" situation?

Answer
Emma,

the best resource for recovering alcoholics
is to attend alcoholics anonymous meetings
on a regular basis.
There they will find information,
support and people that are familiar with
their problem.
http://www.aa.org

No matter how far down she is there is
always a chance of recovery if she can
try to be honest and do what it takes to
recover.

If she is very ill she may need to go through
a detox center first.
Your local police and hospital should
have information about that.

It is important for her to have AA as a refuge
when she feels the urge to drink.
They also have a program of recovery
which has worked for thousands of alcoholics.
It is not easy to stop drinking and
it takes much time to become strong
emotionally, physically and mentally.

You can not support her alone it will
be too much for you.
She has to begin with either detox, counselling
and/or regular meetings at any AA group
she likes.
She may want to avoid this but I am sure she
will drink again without this program and
it's support of like minded people.

You can find AA online and in the phone book.
The AA big book is here to read:
http://www.aa.org/bigbookonline/en_tableofcnt.cfm

I personally tried counselling, treatment/rehab
and could not stay sober until I followed the
plan of attending AA for 90 days.
I have been sober for over 22 years now
using the AA program outlined in the Big Book of AA.
I recommend taking your sister to these meetings
in your area, she may not like it but eventually
it may save her life.

Take care of yourself too!