Alcohol does not in its self pose a problem unless your NFH is an aggressive/belligerent alcoholic. Our NsFH appear to drink quit a lot (the male NFH probably could be considered to have a drinking problem). When they get drunk they are more likely to be loud and obnoxious but so far they have posed little threat when they are drunk - except a few occasions that have been weird and unsettling but relatively benign - they get braver and more confident when they drink and they are more likely to misbehave, their ability to be rational (which is limited at the best of times) becomes non existent so stupid drunken behaviour and bravado is to be expected. Since the police have been called on numerous occasions over the years they tend to be quieter and less likely to direct their belligerent behaviour at us. They are slowly learning that if they just want to have a drink and enjoy themselves they have no problems, if they start banging on their drum kit at midnight and yelling and barking obscenities over the fence they find themselves having to explain their actions to police, and given their life style they like to avoid police.
It is not impossible for people to have "alcohol problems" and function quite normally, they may drink too much for their own good but their drinking is not a problem for anybody else but themselves, but the heavy drinking "typical" alcoholic can cause no end of problems for themselves and those around them. Living next door to an abusive alcoholic individual that is causing pain and hurt to their own family can be very distressing, you can become torn between not becoming involved and wanting to help abused wives/husbands and children - if you go over and knock on the door to intervene during an act of domestic violence you are putting yourself at risk - call the police, they are trained to handle domestic violence and/or if you are concerned about children, report it to the child protection services in your state but remember direct intervention puts you in the firing line both in the moment and in the long term because you become the interfering neighbour who knows too much. Domestic violence is not to be tolerated and should not be ignored, if it is happening next door to you report it to the police.
Here are numerous links offering help for people with alcohol problems you may find something useful to the NFH situation.
ACT City Health Centre - Alcohol & Drug Services
Alcohol ? Department of Health and Ageing Alcohol Website
Alcohol & Drug Foundation Queensland
Alcohol & Other Drugs Council of Australia (ADCA)
Alcohol & Other Drugs Treatment Services National Directory
Alcohol Beverages Advertising Code
Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol & Other Drugs (APSAD)
Australian Clearinghouse for Youth Studies
Australian Drug Information Network
Australian Institute of Health & Welfare
Australian National Council on Drugs
Don?t turn a night out into a Nightmare
Community Alcohol Action Network
Drug and Alcohol Services South Australia
Drug and Alcohol Office Western Australia
National Centre for Education & Training on Addiction (NCETA)
National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC)
National Drug Research Institute
National Health and Medical Research Council
National Rural Health Alliance
National Tobacco Campaign (Quitnow)
Queensland Health: Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs
Queensland Police: Drug and Alcohol Coordination
Western Australia Network of Alcohol & Other Drug Agencies
ACT Alcohol and Drug Program Helpline
Ph: (02) 6207 9977
24 hour information, advice and support on alcohol and other drug and associated issues)
Salvation Army Care Line
Ph: 1300 36 36 22
Parentline
Ph: (02) 6287 3833
Parentline ACT is a free, confidential telephone counselling, referral, information and support service for parents, grandparents and carers in the ACT and surrounding districts.
Alcohol and Drug Information Service
Metropolitan (Sydney) Ph: (02) 9361 8000
NSW Country Ph: 1800 422 599
Drugs & Alcohol Multicultural Ethnic Centre (DAMEC)
Ph: (02) 9699 3552
Youth counselling
Ph: (02) 9360 3000
(Salvation Army Youth Line. Sydney local call)
Crisis counselling
Ph: (02) 9331 2000
(Salvation Army Crisis Line. Sydney local call)
Salvation Army Care Line
Sydney metro Ph: (02) 9331 6000
Regional NSW Ph: 1300 36 36 22
Parentline Ph: 13 20 55 (cost of a local call)
Available 9am to 4.30pm Monday to Saturday each week
Parentline is a telephone help line for all parents of children 0-18 years of age living in NSW.
Alcohol and Drug Information Service
Darwin Ph: (08) 8922 8399
Territory wide Ph: 1800 629 683 or 1800 131 350
Alice Springs Ph: 08 8951 7580
Central Australia Ph: 1800 131 350
Amity House
Ph: 08 8944 6565 or 1800 684 372
Parentline
Ph: 1300 30 1300
Parent and carer education and support for the cost of a local call. Available 8am to 10pm seven days.
Visit the parentline website.
Alcohol and Drug Information Service
Metropolitan ? Brisbane Ph: (07) 3837 5989
Regional Ph: 1800 177 833 (Free call within QLD outside metro area)
Parent Line
Ph: 1300 301 300
Crisis counselling
Ph: (07) 3831 9016
(Salvation Army Crisis Line. Brisbane local call)
Salvation Army Care Line
Regional Qld Ph: 1300 36 36 22
Alcohol and Drug Information Service
Ph: 1300 131 340
Ph: (08) 8363 8618
Parent Helpline Ph: 1300 36 41 00 (cost of a local call)
Youth Healthline Ph: 1300 13 17 19 (cost of a local call)
The Parent Helpline and Youth Healthline are services of the Child, Youth and Women's Health Service and provide telephone information, counselling and support.
For more information visit the Parenting SA website.
Alcohol and Drug Information Service
Ph: 1800 811 994
Parenting Line
Ph: 1300 808 178 (cost of a local call)
The Parenting Line is available at any time to assist parents with stressful parenting issues or concerns.
Alcohol and Drug Information Service
Ph: 1800 888 236
(Confidential alcohol and drug counselling and referral line 24 hours, 7 days)
Youth Substance Abuse Service
Melbourne Ph: 03 9418 1020
Regional Vic Ph: 1800 014 446
(24-hour support and referral for 12- to 21-year-olds)
Australian Drug Foundation - DrugInfo Clearinghouse
Ph: 1300 858 584 (Alcohol and drugs information)
Ph: 13 22 89 (cost of a local call)
8am to 12am Monday to Friday, 10am to 10pm weekends.
Parentline VIC is a statewide confidential and anonymous telephone counselling, information and referral service for parents and carers with children up to 18 years.
Visit the parentline website.
Family Drug Help
Ph: 1300 660 068
(A support service staffed by trained volunteers and professional counsellors)
Turning Point Drug & Alcohol Centre
Ph: (03) 8413 8444
Suicide Helpline
Ph: 1300 651 251
Alcohol and Drug Information Service
Metropolitan (Perth) Ph: (08) 9442 5000
Regional Ph: 1800 198 024
Parent Drug Info Service
Ph: (08) 9442 5050
(outside metro area) Ph: 1800 653 203
Parent Help Centre
Ph: (08) 9272 1466 or 1800 654 432 (free for STD callers)
24 hours a day, 7 days a week
The Parenting Line is a free telephone service providing information and advice for people caring for children and teenagers up to 18 years of age.