How Can I Help My Dad With His Drinking Problem?

Alcoholism affects not only the victims but also their families. This problem probably affects all your family members as much or more than it affects you. The first step is to talk to the victim and get them to admit that they have an alcohol problem. This can be done in a number of ways, whatever you think would suit your family and your father. While some households prefer to have a low key discussion with all the important family members present others prefer to stage something called an intervention. An intervention is a situation where the group of people who are concerned talk to the victim about his/her abuse. This is done in order to try to get the victim to see how they are harming not just themselves but also others around them. The next best step to recovery is, to enroll your father in an Alcoholics Anonymous program. Once this is done, their 12 step routine, if followed to the tee is fairly successful. Your family will have to continue to be a core support group for your father during as well as once he is out of the program to ensure that he doesn't fall back into previous habits.

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This is very sad for you.
Anyone who has a parent with a drink problem deserves alot of help and support.
You don't say how old you are, it's hard for any one of any age but dreadful for a young person.
The bottom line is that the person with the problem needs to want to be helped.
You could try talking to your doctor about this and they should be able to give you information about groups who can help both you and your Dad.

Have you tried talking to your Dad when he's sober and telling him how much he's hurting, worrying and upsetting you?

He may be very unhappy about something in his life and be relieved that someone wants to help.
If your Father is causing alot of disruption and being abusive because of his problem and you are very young, you can call or visit social services who often do step in when young people are involved.
If you're an adult and your Dad won't respond to you and your anxieties you might have to accept that he's chosen his path and there's not a lot you can do.

I do appreciate how horrible this problem can be within the family and would go to see your doctor for a chat and some advice, it can't do any harm to do so. There are other groups as well as AA and one of those might help you if you can't get your Dad to join too.

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