How to speak to an alcoholic?

[Anonymous]

Hi,

My dad is an alcoholic and its becoming an issue.

He rarely drinks, but when he does he gets to the point where he's so inebriated that he soils himself and is laying on the kitchen floor (not passed out, but he can't handle sitting/standing).

The issue is that he has an autoimmune condition that needs to be monitored, and when he's in this state, he can't. He needs a babysitter, and Im not home to help anymore. If he doesn't monitor himself, he runs the risk of going into a coma.

I want to talk to him about this, but its such a sensitive issue, I dont know how to bring it up. Plus he does it so infrequently, that its not a constant problem.

If you know how to address this, please let me know.

[sage2021]

I would let his doctor know and srr if he could emphasize with your Dad that he cannot drink alcohol or use drugs because he needs to be alert to monitor his medical condition. You could write the doctor a letter and mail it, or tell his nurse to relay the message to the doctor so the next appointment the doctor can have the talk with him. Make the appointment if he won't.
I know it's not good to be a codependent to an alcoholic, but I think making a doctor's appointment would be ok. Just have the door act like it's just a check up, then have the talk with him.
I personally have done this before. I had a friend with diabetes that wasn't taking his medicine like he should, and wasn't even checking his blood sugar everyday. So I talked to the lady that was in charge of monitoring the patients and told her he is in denial that he has diabetes. He kept eating sweets all the time and wouldn't stop. She had a stern talk with him about it, and called him every week to get his numbers from his glucose monitor.

[strateguy632]

back off, you will just get yelled at.

[AnnieSW]

Explain it to him, be honest. that's the only way