Unit 4 Understanding and Avoiding Hazardous Substances Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. 292 If you care about someone who has an alcohol-use disorder, you must first get support for yourself. Try to find an adult you can talk openly and honestly with about the problem. This trusted adult may be a family member, guidance counselor, school nurse, doctor, religious leader, or coach (Figure 9.19). Some people feel they should try to solve or fix their loved one’s alcohol- use disorder. They may try to punish, threaten, or bribe their loved one to stop drinking. They may beg their loved one to stop drinking and try to make the person feel guilty about his or her alcohol use. The first step to alcohol recovery, however, is for a person to recognize that he or she has a problem. He or she has to want to change. You cannot force a person to stop drinking. People may also try to hide their loved one’s alcohol use. They may cover up the problems caused by the person’s drinking or hide evidence of the drinking. These actions simply help the person avoid the natural consequences of his or her behavior. Hiding a person’s alcohol use is an enabling behavior. Enabling involves encouraging a person's unhealthy behaviors. Many young people who have family members with alcohol-use disorders find joining support groups helpful. These groups can help young people learn how to cope with the difficulties of their loved one’s alcoholism. Support groups can also be comforting because they show that other people are facing the same challenges. Young people who have loved ones with an alcohol-use disorder may find Alateen to be helpful. Alateen members include young people whose lives have been affected by someone else’s drinking. In Alateen meetings, young people come together to share their experiences, gain encouragement, and learn ways to cope with problems. In Alateen, young people can find other people their age who have the same problems and worries. Alateen is part of the Al-Anon Family Groups organization in which family members and friends who have loved ones with an alcohol-use disorder come together to share their experiences, receive encouragement, and learn ways to cope with problems. Lesson 9.2 Review 1. List three factors that may infl uence young people’s beliefs about alcohol use. 2. True or false. Most young people experiment with drinking alcohol. 3. How does raising the sales tax on alcohol help prevent alcohol-use disorders? 4. Encouraging a person’s unhealthy behaviors, such as an alcohol-use disorder, is called _____. 5. Critical thinking. Compare the three strategies described in this lesson for treating alcohol-use disorders. Conduct interviews with your parents, older siblings, and/or grandparents about any alcohol-use disorders they may know about in your family. Find a time to talk seriously, openly, and honestly with them. How was this conversation—easy, diffi cult? What did you learn? What questions would you still like to have answered? Hands-On Activity Hands-On Activity iStock.com/ClarkandCompany Figure 9.19 Hiding a loved one’s alcohol-use disorder can allow that person’s behavior to continue. To help a loved one, it is best to speak to a trusted adult. Who would you feel comfortable talking to about a serious problem?