Living with an Alcoholic: Tips for Life with Alcohol Use Disorder

About 10.5% of young people under 18 live with at least one parent with AUD, according to research. Explore the potential benefits and ethical considerations in combating opioid addiction.

1. Remember, supporting your spouse through their recovery requires taking care of yourself as well.
2. Understanding alcoholism and its impact on relationships is crucial in navigating this difficult situation.
3. According to the World Health Organization, 55 percent of assaults by one partner against another in the U.S. occurred after the perpetrator had been drinking.
4. But what many people don’t realize is that even after sobriety, addiction can continue to have a negative impact.
5. Al-Anon and Co-Dependents Anonymous are two of the better-known support groups for spouses and loved ones to find help.

Press Play for Advice On Finding Help for Alcohol Addiction

Brent Metcalf, a licensed clinical social worker at Tri-Star Counseling, adds that calling someone with AUD an “alcoholic” can further stigma by equating the person with the condition. Many people with alcoholism struggle with admitting that they have a problem. It’s hard to want help if you can’t first acknowledge that you need it. Here are some ways to help your spouse — and yourself and family members — along the road to recovery.

What is Emotional PTSD?

This is because of the way long-term substance use has affected both partners as well as the relationship itself. Codependency can also cause the non-addicted partner to unwittingly enable unhealthy behaviors, which may encourage substance use and addiction. If your partner is recovering from addiction, the process can come with challenges, and it may take time to cope with those challenges, but you’re not alone. There are over 40 million people in the U.S. alone living with substance use disorder. Asking for help can be challenging, but it’s a smart move and one that helps you to break free from a dysfunctional relationship with an addict. Most people would love the opportunity to do something kind for someone else, particularly someone they care about and want to support.

Join a Support Group for Spouses

They may also feel a sense of isolation, as the stigma surrounding alcoholism can make it difficult to seek support and understanding from others. Spouses have it especially difficult when there are children involved. The alcoholic, often unaware of the significance of their actions, screams and becomes violent. While addiction is difficult for everyone, nobody has to go through it alone.

Should I leave my spouse if they don’t stop drinking?

Remember, recovery takes time, and every step forward is a step towards a healthier and happier future for both you and your spouse. Just like there are support groups for the addict, there are also different types of support groups for the alcoholic’s spouses as well as family members finasteride of the addict. Al-Anon and Co-Dependents Anonymous are two of the better-known support groups for spouses and loved ones to find help. Many instances of infidelity stem from a spouse insisting that they are not a captive of the marriage, that they are free to do as they please.

Couples Therapy and Family Counseling

Wilmot & Hocker (2007) identified the sorts of goals at stake in any conflict. Either party may declare interest in preserving the marriage for a host of reasons that are bound to backfire. These include, among others, dependency needs, finances, and concern for children. A long period of bitter passive-aggressiveness is likely to haunt couples whose claims of commitment are either overt lies or lies to themselves. Remember, it’s essential to find a support system that works for you and your unique situation.

Remember that no matter how much you care or want your partner to get help, they need to make that choice for themselves. Consider encouraging them to set attainable goals and celebrate their small victories with them. For instance, if your partner typically has several drinks at dinner and decides to only have one, reward them with genuine encouragement.

For instance, withdrawing and hiding is a strategy of avoidance that may provide some temporary relief. Over time, though, the spouse who withdraws simply waits while the problem gets worse, and in the meantime becomes more distant from friends and extended family. Living with someone who has an alcohol use disorder severe enough to be considered alcoholism presents a number of challenges. Spouses of alcoholics may suffer emotional harm, be victims of violence and domestic abuse, develop health problems, or even develop their own addictions. The effects of living with an alcoholic are both short-term and have lasting consequences.

You may also want to consider joining a support group for loved ones of people with AUD. It may help a great deal to speak with others who are going through similar situations. For instance, it’s probably not helpful how long does it take to detox from alcohol timeline and more to bring up their alcohol use if you also tend to binge drink on the weekends. Perhaps your partner has always loved a particular sport, but their drinking has interfered with their ability to engage in it.

Because alcohol use can also exaggerate emotional states while decreasing self-awareness, it may also lead to problematic behavior, including verbal aggression, according to Metcalf. Even if your partner blacked out and doesn’t remember treating you this way, this behavior still counts as abuse. Whether your partner is dealing with severe alcohol use disorder or just tends to drink too much, seek help.

While the addict has the ability to go to treatment to address their issues, there is no designed “treatment” for the family members and other loved ones of the person suffering from addiction. That doesn’t mean that there is nothing or no one out there to help the family members get through those difficult times. Let’s take a look at some of the options that are available when it comes to help for spouses of alcoholics. Coping with PTSD from an alcoholic spouse can be challenging, but there are things you can do to improve your mental health and wellbeing. Seeking professional help is essential, as a mental health professional can provide you with the support and guidance you need to manage your symptoms.

When you call our team, you will speak to a Recovery Advocate who will answer any questions and perform a pre-assessment to determine your eligibility for treatment. If eligible, we will create a treatment plan tailored to your specific needs. If The Recovery Village is not the right fit for you or your loved one, we will help refer you to a facility that is. It may take a while for them to process or accept their disease. If this happens, remember that anger comes after denial in the stages of acceptance and give them the physical or emotional space to process this new emotion.

Remember, it is important to approach the situation with compassion and understanding. A therapist can help you identify the triggers that cause your symptoms and develop coping mechanisms to manage them. They can also provide you with a safe and supportive environment to express your feelings and emotions. In addition, they can help you rebuild your self-esteem and self-confidence, which may have been damaged due to your spouse’s alcoholism.

However, for someone with an alcohol dependence, that expectation may turn out to be unreasonable. If the person is incapable of even being honest with themselves, it may not be reasonable to expect them to be honest with you. Keep in mind that someone with alcohol dependence usually goes through a few stages how long does crack cocaine stay in your system before they are ready to make a change. Until they begin to contemplate quitting, any actions you take to “help” them quit will often be met with resistance. You don’t have to create a crisis, but learning detachment will help you allow a crisis—one that may be the only way to create change—to happen.

Encourage your spouse to seek help from a qualified healthcare provider or addiction specialist. Remember, supporting your spouse through their recovery requires taking care of yourself as well. It’s essential to seek support for yourself and explore ways to prioritize your well-being. Reach out to support groups for spouses of alcoholics, such as support for spouses of alcoholics, where you can connect with others who understand your experiences.