EleanorRigby

i'm 19 and my boyfriend is 21 and he has been an alcoholic for several years. when we first met, he was drunk all the time, drinking half a bottle each night. he's decided that he wants to stop, and has done really well i think. in the last several weeks he's only had like two drinks a night. he messed up once and got really drunk, but it's really hard on him and he's trying really hard. i do the best i can to encourage him, but he sometimes will just go off at me and yell. but at the end of each day he tells me how much he really does appreciate me and that i'm the one making this bearable for him. i can handle the moodyness as long as he is getting better, and i know he really is. so far, though, he hasn't gone a night without drinking at all. he hasn't been drunk in almost a month, which is huge because as i said he used to be sloppy drunk each night. but i want to help him get to that next step, where he isn't drinking at all. how do i hlep? a recovery group is out of the question, by the way. thanks.

parentrecovers

welcome! you've found a great place to gather info and strength. you have found an online recovery group. so see, it isn't out of the question at all. i have an alcoholic in my life, and i spend most of my time in the "FRIENDS AND FAMILY OF ALCOHOLICS" section.

my alcoholic (a) is very young too, only 22. she is seeking recovery in a rehab, and considering a stay at a halfway house following that stay. she tried many times to quit without the help of professionals and aa, and failed each time. like your boyfriend, she tried to control her intake. but since alcoholism is a progressive disease, her cravings got more intense and she started drinking more and more, again and again.

i guess i'm just curious - why are recovery groups out of the question? i see you're in the chicagoland area, so are we. there are many options for aa and alanon (support for family and friends of alcholics) meetings in this area - and you'll find a lot of young people there to support you.

you have each taken a big step by admitting there is a problem and in your case, asking for help.

please take good care of YOURSELF.

www.aa.org
www.alanon.org

good luck, k

shockozulu

May I ask why a recovery group is out of the question? How about groups that focus not on recovery per se but on changing behaviors? In addition, there are great family and friend forums here. Here's the link to family and friends of alcoholics http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...ly-alcoholics/

EleanorRigby

it doesn't matter why a recovery group is out of the question, it just is. i've never abused alcohol myself. as a college student, i drank maybe twice a month. but i've stopped altogether to make it easier for him. since i'm in the city and he's in the suburbs, we don't see eachother everynight and i think it would be hard for him if he called me and i was wasted. i don't know what else i can do besides this and just encouraging him.

1_day@_a_time

i don't know what else i can do besides just encouraging him.......

THAT'S IT!!!