Hi,
I'm worried about my cousin, but not sure where to start for getting him help. He hasn't been diagnosed but family members think he has Asperger's. He is high functioning (he has a degree and has lived relatively independently) but he struggles with social interaction, suffers from anxiety and can do and say things that seem inappropriate. I think his struggle with social interaction might have set him off on a bit of a downwards spiral. The last couple of times I've seen him it's clear that he has a very serious drink problem, maybe as a coping mechanism, and he struggles to maintain friendships and get the type of job he is qualified for. His mum used to support him financially and was constantly bailing him out but she has sadly recently passed away. He received some inheritance but has already spent it, and is on furlough pay at the moment. He's currently living with his mum's partner who buys food and pays for the bills etc, but they don't actually know each other that well and it probably won't carry on long term. My other cousin, his sister, keeps having to intervene to ask him to pay the small contribution to household finances they agreed and not to leave the house in a mess. He does come across as really unreasonable as he will never help with chores or contribute financially even when he is in work, but I'm not sure how much of this is due to him struggling with communication. I'm worried, firstly that his drinking is really affecting his health. I honestly think he could drink himself to death. Also, I'm worried about how he will cope now his mum isn't around to support him financially. His sister also wants to help but is already quite stressed looking after a baby and a toddler and can't really have him to stay due to his drinking. I think he needs support cutting down drinking, working through with his mental health issues (I have anxiety myself and know how life changing it can be to get treatment), and learning skills for social interactions at work and dealing with finances. I know he really wants to get a good job and a relationship, but I can't see that happening while he is drinking so much. I don't know him really well, and he tends to get a bit defensive when his sister talks to him about these things. Does anyone have any advice about how to sympathetically approach these issues with him, or any services that could be useful?