How Do I Help My Brother Quit Drinking?

Thank you for your question. I am sorry to hear of the current difficulties within your family.

Upon reading what you have written, I can see a clear sentiment in that you say; 'I want him to get help' but I am just wondering, what does he want? How would it feel to ask him what he wants you to do (if anything) and what kind of help he might want or need from you?

It sounds as though it might be helpful to try to set some time aside-when you are both feeling calm-in order to talk to him about your concerns and ask him for his thoughts before doing anything else.

It is important to support, not judge your brother and to respect his autonomy as much as possible; if he perceives you to be 'interfering' it could drive a wedge between you. This can be achieved by making your intention to work *with* him very clear. For example, you might suggest that you research local support groups/programmes together instead of doing it on his behalf.

Overall though, I would say that it is very important to put aside thoughts about what *you* want to happen, so that you can really listen to your brother and find out where he is coming from-that can go a long way to helping someone feel supported, rather than hijacked and it can create a much needed stable foundation for the work that lies ahead.

I wish you and your family the best of luck for the future.