Expert: Jurriaan Plesman, Nutritional Psychotherapist - 5/4/2011

Question
These questions are related towards a friend of mine who I have know for about a year now. Currently we both live overseas, in Brazil, with our husbands who are gone frequently. Not being able to work or speak the language has brought us both close as friends. Not to mention not having family close by to help out when in need.

It was not uncommon for the two of us to grab a beer on the beach or before noon before I got pregnant. Now that I have been sober the entire duration of my pregnancy and while I was trying, I have noticed my friend spiral out of control.

Things I have seen her do:
Hide alcohol in a water bottle to pretend to be drinking water in between beers or wine.

Bring the water bottle at restaurants.

Replace beers in the refrigerator before husband comes home.

Binging and purging

And several other sneaky tactics.

This past lent she decided to stop drinking but it became clear to me very fast that she couldn't do it. She shook constantly and broke these promises 'of getting healthy' on a daily basis. While she decreased her alcohol consumption I noticed she began to binge and purge. Often eating enough for three people then spending a large amount of time in the restroom. I have noticed the pattern for an increase in alcohol consumption = decrease in binge/purge.

She is on a constant quest for perfection of health but sets herself up for failure by setting impossible goals. She also will go mornings of non-stop working out followed by binge/purge and comma with alcohol. I have got her to admit that she has been in the hospital before for Anorexia and now experiences spouts of SVT (supraventricular tachycardia) where she has received andenosine to recover. So it's obvious she has addiction problems. Now I fear it's mainly alcohol.

I want to help but there are know counselors in the area that speak English nor are there any clinics that she can go to receive help. My husband and I are very concerned for her but are not sure how to approach the problem. We have discussed approaching her husband, since he spends 90% of his time away from the home, with the severity of the situation. He knows that she drinks a lot but I am not sure how much he is ignoring. We are worried that he will talk with her and not follow through. She would have to be sent to her home country and family to receive the help she needs.

The problem lies within the fact that she needs a medical facility to help her with the problems. My husband and I can only be a support for a short period of time. Who knows how long we will be down here with her. I know her mother, who is coming to visit next month, and I also know her brother.

What route should I take in this sensitive matter? Can I help by not exposing her and risk her having no one? Should my husband and I talk to her husband? What if my husband just spoke to her husband? Do we contact her mother or brother? It seems that everyone is ignoring the situation and allowing her to destroy herself. I really think she is crying out for help or waiting for someone to notice her.

Any advice would help.
Thank you for your services.

Answer
Hi sara,

That must be a difficult situation for you, but fortunately she can be helped. Alcoholism is a nutritional disease at can b be cured by the adoption of the hypoglycemic diet. Please read:

Why Alcoholics Drink? at
http://www.hypoglycemia.asn.au/articles/WAD.html

Alcoholism (Addiction) is a Treatable Disease at:
http://curezone.com/upload/PDF/Articles/jurplesman/alcoholism_treatable.pdf

Drug Addiction is a Nutritional Disorder at:
http://www.hypoglycemia.asn.au/articles/drug_addictions_nutritional_disorder.htm...

Eating Disorders at:
http://hypoglycemia.asn.au/articles/eatingdisorders.html

The first step in treatment is going on a hypoglycemic diet ( See our web site). If problems persist, it is best to consult a Nutritional Doctor, Clinical Nutritionist or a Nutritional Psychotherapist for further diagnosis and treatment.

Please let me know how you are getting along?


_______________________________________________
Jurriaan Plesman, Nutritional Psychotherapist.
Hon. Editor of
The Hypoglycemic Health Association of Australia.
www.hypoglycemia.asn.au
Author of "Getting off the Hook"
Freely available at Google Book Search
Skype: jurplesman