Sober Siblings: How to Help Your Alcoholic Brother or Sister--And Not Lose Yourself

In the vein of Adult Children of Alcoholics comes the first book geared specifically to the siblings of alcoholics. Patricia Olsen, sister of two alcoholic brothers, shares her personal experiences along with interviews with other sober siblings, while Petros Levounis, M.D., the director of The Addiction Institute of New York and chief of addiction psychology at St. Luke’s and Roosevelt Hospitals in New York City, offers expert advice. Whether the alcoholic is in recovery or relapsed, in AA or therapy, Sober Siblings helps brothers and sisters gain greater awareness of their own situation, offering practical wisdom and suggestions on: feelings of shame, frustration, hopelessness, and anger; the difference between helping and enabling; setting boundaries; the nature of alcoholism; coaddictions; and how to help your sibling while not losing yourself.