Where to Start?
I have been with my friend for about 4 years this year, and when I met him I came to learn that he drinks a lot. He would drink about 12 beers a night, I learned that he used to be quite the pot head back in his teens, but when he wanted to quit smoking pot, he took up drinking in it's place. I was drinking quite a bit when I met him too so, it took me quite a while to be honest to myself about the problem.
Just recently during a night of partying he confided in me that he knows he has a problem, that alcohol has a grip on him and it is controlling his life, he asked me not to give up on him, and asked me to help him through this time.
The next day he stopped at the liquor store and picked up a flat of beer.
He doesn't like to do anything social unless drinking is involved, he has high anxiety when he is around people while he isn't drinking.
There has been a couple times that he has quit drinking, the longest instance being 2 months - he was very miserable and grumpy during that time.
I know that I have been wrong by not trying to help earlier, I really care about him, and I can see him slipping away, I need and want to help, but I don't know where to start.
I don't want to make him fee bad for drinking every time that he does because I don't see that as being productive, I think it would drive him to drink more.
He is absolutely against AA and support groups at this time.
Any Advice?