There are also Al-Anon groups that can help you manage living with an alcoholic partner. These groups are similar to AA, but they focus on helping the loved ones of an alcoholic person. BetterHelp can connect you to an addiction and mental health counselor. Try not to enable your alcoholic spouse by excusing their behavior or caring for them when hungover. An addiction interventionist can help a family identify things they are doing that may be holding the alcoholic in a precontemplation state. A professional addiction intervention can help the alcohol user take ownership of some of the problems they have been blaming others for.
Denial or Avoidance
Nearly 20% of alcoholics are highly functional and well-educated with good incomes. Because these types of users appear stable and mostly unaffected by their drinking, the steps to effectively confront a high functioning alcoholic functioning alcoholic and work with them on their behaviors can be even more difficult. If you are wondering if your husband is a high-functioning alcoholic, there are certain warning signs to look for.
High-Functioning Alcoholics & Relationships
Healing or not, I enjoyed it on the rocks in a lowball glass while pretending it was a NA shrub cocktail. At the height of the pandemic, Dr. Octavio’s patients admitted that they were drinking too much, as a way of coping with anxiety. Happy AF is inspired by mezcal’s smoky notes; Chill AF is her take on a Pimm’s cup; and Bright AF is a version of the Moscow mule.
Typical Stages of High-Functioning Alcoholism
Over time this can teach those connected to the alcohol user not to ask as they will get no answer. Admitting a problem is the first step to changing it, and positive recognition from a functional alcoholic when they do is a huge first step. Alcohol use disorders, binge drinking, problematic drinking, and alcoholism can be devastating to families and relationships if allowed to continue. Ultimately, no matter who is in your life with a drinking problem, their struggles with alcohol can be exacerbated if they do not receive timely intervention. There is a world where, at some point, your partner comes around to understanding your concerns about their drinking and, also—shockingly—agrees with you.
What Percentage of Alcoholics are Functioning or High Functioning Alcoholics?
- Living with a high-functioning alcoholic husband has different challenges because it may seem to outsiders that there is no problem.
- Binge drinking, social pressures, family history, mental health issues, and excess alcohol use can all increase your risk of developing an alcohol use disorder.
- Daily drinking can have serious consequences for a person’s health, both in the short- and long-term.
- Some women may follow the lead of the alcoholic husband in denial, and also pretend that nothing is wrong.
- Arguments and fighting aren’t the only issues at play when you are married to a high-functioning alcoholic.
If you identify these signs in your spouse, it may be an indication that they are struggling with alcoholism. It’s important to approach the situation with empathy and seek help and support for both yourself and your spouse. Consider reaching out to an addiction specialist for more information and support. Living with an alcoholic partner can be stressful, overwhelming, and require professional assistance. If your partner is an alcoholic, there are various ways to communicate and help them seek treatment.
Don’t Enable Him
- When the pain or embarrassment gets bad enough, they can no longer deny that their drinking needs to be addressed.
- Emotional connections can be difficult because communication about your spouse’s alcohol is either implicitly or explicitly not allowed.
- The alcoholic may be able to hide the alcohol, and it is far more difficult to hide the behaviors.
- If eligible, we will create a treatment plan tailored to your specific needs.
The only challenge that arises at that moment is neither your husband needs your help at that very moment nor you’re a professional counselor. The worst you could do is take the place of a professional and try to look for solutions to ‘cure’ it. In order to do you, you might push your husband to loneliness, which eventually will lead to far more serious issues than now. So, instead of trying to take control of everything, just wait for them to accept that they have a problem and need help. It is also possible to detox as part of an outpatient program, which features varying levels of support and treatment. Living with an alcoholic is traumatic, especially if there is serious abuse.
Signs Your Husband is an Alcoholic
Produced in a Napa winery and packaged in elegant long-necked wine bottles, the beverages are sweetened with agave syrup, and each serving contains only 25 calories. A bottle of Chill AF—served chilled, of course—makes for a lovely post-meditation libation. I’m sure your partner is an amazing person, and you want to hold on to that version of them forever, but don’t lose yourself trying to rescue them. It sounds crazy, but self-reliance is the best way to support your partner. Hiking, biking, strolling, or sitting underneath a tree and letting the wind massage your face in a meadow full of hummingbirds and harp-wielding angels and singing badgers—you get the idea.
How to approach your loved one
Living with an alcoholic husband who doesn’t recognize drinking as a problem can be frustrating. Your husband may have been in and out of alcohol rehab or relapsed several times. Although it may seem easy, it can be tough because you may want to hold out hope that your relationship will change for the better. If you live with a high-functioning alcoholic or think you may be, communication is essential to help them. It’s also essential to talk to him when he’s more receptive to the idea of help and intervention.
The critical thing to remember is that your safety and the safety of your other family members are your main priority. For many, the solution for dealing with an angry, drunk spouse is leaving the marriage. Tell your spouse you want to help them get treatment but can’t do it without their help.
- On the outside, high-functioning alcoholics may appear to be great parents.
- In 2014, after years of battling acid reflux and weight issues, Jon Pierre Francia came down with a reflux-inducted bout of pneumonia and nearly died.