Expert: james52144@earthlink.net - 8/22/2010

Question
QUESTION: A very special person has been drinking since a very young age.  He now consumes about a 30 pack of beer daily.  He has changed from a loving person to critical and nasty. He has also started to destroy relationships on purpose. One in perticuler has to do with sex.  He became so frightened about it he ran.  It was due to his embarrasssment of not able to function.  He is 60 years old.   Is there anything I can do to help?  He doesn't have any desire to quit. He seems to be a high functioning alcoholic, but I am sure there has to be many things wrong inside him.  Please help if you can.

ANSWER: Dear Louise

The only thing you can do is go to Alanon and heal yourself. Good luck.

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QUESTION: is there any help for him at all?

Answer
There are many resources available to him but until he wants to stop drinking there is nothing that can help him. There is a procedure called "Intervention" where a trained counselor will involve family and friends to get the person to go to rehabilitation. However, that still requires the cooperation and willingness of the person to sober up.