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While alcohol is commonly accepted, it can be life-changing, damaging relationships, careers, and even ending lives. According to the World Health Organization, about 5.9% of all global deaths are related to alcohol consumption. Alcoholism or alcohol addiction affects millions of people worldwide, but it affects the people you live with and love the most. Abusers knowingly and unknowingly hurt the people they are with and understanding how and why can help you to recognize when there is a problem and how you can fix it.
Can a relationship work if one person drinks?
While you may think you're being affected by whether or not you and your partner drink the same amount, you really aren't. How much one person chooses to drink has nothing to do with you or anyone else — unless, of course, it's affecting your harmony as a couple.
Alcoholism can lead to emotional distance, communication problems, and trust issues, and it can cause individuals to prioritize alcohol over the relationship. Additionally, individuals not in recovery may struggle with managing their addiction, leading to potential relapse and emotional turmoil for themselves and their partners. However, it is important to remember that individuals with alcoholism can seek help and work towards recovery, leading to healthier relationships in the future. Support organizations exist for friends and family members of those with alcohol use disorders due to the problems created by the condition. Al-Anon Family Groups and similar organizations seek to help people in this situation understand their role in the environment. Groups typically focus on helping acquaintances and loved ones understand that they are not responsible for the behavior and actions of a sufferer of alcoholism.
Emerald Isle Health & Recovery can help
If the issues in the relationship are not treated, they can set the stage for continued conflict and, in turn, relapse to drinking or drug use. Thus, lasting recovery from substance use depends, in part, on making the relationship better. Eliminating drinking or drug use is only the starting point; once sobriety is attained, a supportive caring relationship can be one of the strongest factors in making that sobriety last. It turns out that alcohol and drug abuse treatment programs have help for concerned family members and work with this very issue. They can give you ideas and information on motivating your partner to consider getting help; these approaches are often very helpful in getting family members who are reluctant to seek help to ultimately enter treatment.
What are the challenges of dating an alcoholic?
It can lead to emotional and physical abuse, neglect, financial strain, and other issues that erode trust and communication. When someone enters recovery, they may need to focus on themselves and their sobriety, which can be difficult for their partner to understand and adjust to.
Any and all diagnoses should be provided by a professional and not the alcohol user or their family and friends. Here at Renaissance Recovery Center, we offer highly personalized outpatient programs, including virtual IOP, for alcohol use disorder. Reclaim your life from alcohol abuse before it destroys your health and your relationships without necessarily needing residential rehab. As alcohol use disorder progresses, many people find their friendships are predicated on alcohol. For someone who finds friends commenting on their alcohol intake, it can be more tempting to spend time with others engaged in heavy drinking who are unlikely to call you out for alcohol abuse.
Frequently asked questions
If you feel at-risk please find a safe place to stay or look for local resources that support spouses experiencing domestic violence. The first step in coping with your partner’s alcohol abuse is to understand what addiction is and how it affects the brain. Alcohol addiction is a chronic disease that can have physical and psychological effects on the person who is addicted. It is important to understand that your partner’s alcohol abuse is not just a choice but rather a serious condition that requires treatment. This is because alcoholism is a progressive disease that slowly erodes the drinker’s ability to function in all areas of life, including personal relationships.
While this can be difficult, you will get the most out of therapy by doing this. Every client is different, which means we have several different treatment methods. One of the first portions of treatment will be getting rid of all the alcohol in your body. Alcohol use disorder (AUD), more commonly called alcoholism, how alcoholism affects relationships is an addiction to alcohol. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, there are certain criteria used to determine what “type” of AUD someone is suffering from. Give us a call and we can help find the right treatment program for you or your loved one – even if it’s not ours!
#6. Drinking Affects your Children and Family life
If drinking becomes transparently more important to you than spending time with your partner, problems are imminent at home. When alcohol is involved, there is more chance of an argument with your loved one developing. Alcohol and relationships can create a situation that is difficult to navigate if one or both individuals are engaging in alcoholism. Consuming alcohol does not always lead to the development of alcohol use disorder, and many people can drink moderately and without incident. Keep in mind alcohol abuse is linked to brain changes4, making impulse control difficult. Given this fact, it is no surprise that alcohol abuse is linked to violence and aggression within relationships3.
- The vast majority of outcomes from alcoholism are negative, and damaged relationships are a common byproduct of alcoholism.
- We will address the mental and emotional tolls detox takes on clients while providing support through the hardest nights.
- Alcohol treatment services are provided
at different levels of care — inpatient, residential rehabilitative,
intensive outpatient, outpatient, or self-help. - And if they are impaired on the job, they may even put coworkers in danger.
- While you can self-diagnose this disorder, it is difficult to recover without help.
- Lay out your view of
the advantages and disadvantages of each option, and even suggest a preferred
course of action.
Regrettably, many people grappling with alcohol use disorder become secretive in an attempt to hide their drinking problem. If you or your partner has alcohol use disorder, this condition will profoundly impact the brain, as well as behavior. If you have to hide your drinking from your partner, whether it’s the amount or how often you’re drinking, it’s https://ecosoberhouse.com/ a clear sign that alcohol is destroying your relationship. Having an occasional drink or night out isn’t likely to ruin a relationship, but you’re probably in trouble when you’re drinking so often you have to hide it. Partners and spouses should seek personal therapy and a supportive community with others who understand what they may be experiencing.