overing alcoholic, this can be a very difficult task to take on and may cause them to become overwhelmed and frustrated. For a lot of alcoholics, this is the only life they know how to live and find it difficult to not only change their lifestyle, but also accept the fact that they must change for good.It is very necessary for recovering alcoholics to follow a path of complete sobriety while in treatment and continue on that path for the rest of their lives. Alcoholics develop what are known as psychological needs. Everyone has the need to feel whole or important. If these needs are not met within ourselves, we feel as though we are not whole. For alcoholics, the alcohol often is used to fill these holes that are often created from the use of alcohol. When alcohol is suddenly removed from the person, there is a sudden need for fulfillment that is difficult to achieve.Alcohol also leads to problems within the social arena. All life aspects of someone who abuses alcohol are adversely affected by the consumption of alcohol. Problems with school, family, work, the law and eventually physical problems begin to arise. Within the family there are several stages in the progression of alcoholism. In the beginning there is denial. The family may not be aware of or unwilling to recognize any sort of problem. There is then an often-failed attempt at eliminating the problem followed by eventual disorder and chaos within the household. This is when reorganization and efforts to escape become present. The family becomes aware of the problem and often times divorce is attempted to remove a spouse from the problem.According to Charles H. Roper Ph.D. alcoholism is a four-stage disorder. It involves physical, emotional, mental and spiritual recoveries. Physical recovery is the least complex of the four, even though it is often the most immediate. Physical recovery happens primarily as the result of abstinence alone. The body has an amazin...
