Helping an alcoholic is not always easy, especially if it is a family member or a loved one. The first step, before even deciding on what help you can offer an alcoholic, is to acknowledge the problem; only then is there any realistic hope of getting help for an alcoholic.
Once an alcoholic has acknowledged that they have a problem and would like to seek help, the next step is to determine exactly what sort of help would be best. In some cases, your support and understanding is worth more to the person than any amount of counseling or rehab. Rehab isn't necessarily the best solution for everyone; a person has to want to undergo the treatment, and it depends on the severity of the alcoholism. It's also important to understand that it is impossible to make an alcoholic stop drinking unless you lock them in an empty room; ultimately they need to make that decision themselves, although you can certainly help.
A large part of getting help for an alcoholic is acknowledging what you are able to do to help, and realizing what is beyond your control. If your spouse drinks because there is beer in the fridge, don't buy it. If they stop at the bar for a drink on the way home from work, pick them up so the temptation is removed. There may be external factors making someone drink more than they should, such as getting over a divorce, stress at work, the loss of a job or a loved one. Avoid any situations which make an alcoholic want to drink, if at all possible. Understanding and identifying these can go some way towards getting help for a an alcoholic.
If someone you know has a drinking problem, remember that you can't make them address their problem. After all, some alcoholics are perfectly content with being an alcoholic and don't want to change. You can only point out to them how it makes you feel, and how it is destroying your relationship and tearing you apart, and can offer to help. The rest is up to them.
