Recognizing their behavior and understanding the risks and dangers that come with it is a process within itself. Make sure you lend your support through the process and encourage them to seek help, but don’t make the decision for them. If the drinking problem worsens or causes significant distress, seek professional support. Mental health professionals can provide counseling for you and your partner.
The Impact on Different Types of Relationships
You’ll recognize this trait when individuals consistently reduce or deny the severity of their drinking and its impact on relationships, work, and health. This denial serves as psychological protection against confronting the reality of their addiction. This chemical dependence creates a cycle where drinking temporarily relieves withdrawal symptoms but eventually worsens the underlying condition. Understanding this biological component helps explain why willpower alone rarely succeeds in overcoming alcohol addiction. Many resources are available for both individuals struggling with alcoholism and their loved ones. Seeking the support of therapy, support groups, or treatment programs can be a vital step towards recovery.
- Without proper treatment, people can experience a decline in quality of life, health issues, and even death.
- If they are willing to get help, you should have suggestions on how to change their drinking habits or get treatment in cases that have become severe.
- An intervention should follow all the advice listed above, especially regarding preparation.
- Severe withdrawal, known as delirium tremens (DTs), includes confusion, severe agitation, fever, hallucinations and seizures.
How to Deal with a Bipolar Spouse
Our mission is to help families heal through compassionate, clinically excellent care. The participants in an intervention could include the alcoholic’s spouse or partner, children, parents, friends, coworkers, employer, friends and other individuals who have been affected. A substance abuse counselor, family therapist or spiritual advisor may also attend to provide an objective presence and keep the agenda on track. If the consequences of high-functioning alcoholism have become overwhelming, and your loved one refuses to seek help for alcohol abuse, it could be time to plan an intervention. An intervention is a planned meeting Drug rehabilitation in which the concerned parties confront the alcoholic about their behavior.
Loss of Control Over Drinking
You may also need to resolve negative feelings about the situation and come to a place of love and acceptance before you can live with them successfully. Couples who intend to have kids may encounter difficulties if one partner has a drinking problem. Alcohol lowers sperm quality, and this study found that women were 18% less likely to become pregnant if they had up to 14 drinks weekly. Another study also revealed that women who drank the week they conceived were two to three times more likely to have a miscarriage. Spouses of alcoholics may also enable their actions by covering for them when they call in sick due to a hangover or bailing them out of jail after a drunk-driving arrest. Enabling your spouse will prevent them from seeing the full consequences of their actions and make them less likely to seek help.
Addiction Treatment Programs
- Physically, alcohol use can increase your risk of liver disease, heart problems, and certain cancers.
- Let them know that their situation doesn’t have to remain the way it is and offer them options for treatment.
- Whether or not your partner is willing to change, make sure you are looking out for your own needs and well-being.
- Approximately 20% of Americans with alcohol use disorder can be classified as high-functioning users, or addicts.
Al-Anon and Alateen offer similar benefits for family members and friends affected by someone’s drinking. Rationalization works alongside denial to justify continued alcohol use through elaborate excuse-making. This rationalization often how to recognize signs and symptoms of alcoholism and alcohol abuse involves shifting blame to spouses, bosses, or family members for problems directly related to their alcohol consumption. The psychological and emotional landscape of alcoholism reveals deeper patterns that extend beyond observable behaviors.
