The clarity can make a big difference, making it easier to express your thoughts and feelings. Express your feelings using “I” statements and set limits on conversations when necessary. Sleep problems, chronic fatigue, and weight change, either gain or loss, often occur. Repeated hangovers, slurred speech, or lack of coordination are common indicators. Slowly, you may notice serious health issues like liver problems, stomach pain, or frequent nausea. Some children may try to hide the issue from friends or teachers out of embarrassment.
Married to an Alcoholic: Learning to Support a Partner with Alcohol Use Disorder
- Offer resources like rehab options, but remember, you can’t force change.
- Often when someone has AUD, they can start to let a lot of chores and other responsibilities around the house slip.
- Substance use disorder (SUD) is a related condition that involves a problematic pattern of substance use that affects a person’s health and quality of life.
Local support groups, therapy, and online communities can also offer assistance and guidance. Some organizations provide services in multiple languages to meet diverse needs. Connecting with friends or family outside the home for support and relaxation is also recommended. Children in the home might witness unhealthy communication patterns, which can affect their ability to express themselves later in life. Alcohol misuse in a relationship can reshape how couples communicate, trust, and manage daily responsibilities. These shifts often lead to serious family problems and other challenges.
Seeking Professional Support
They can also remind you to practice self-care, seek therapy, and point out healthy and unhealthy behaviors, including enabling. Living with an alcoholic partner can not only present serious complications in a marriage or a relationship but can also affect personal finances, personal credit, and mental and physical safety. Children and adolescents of alcoholic parents can often harbor feelings of guilt and anger when living with an alcoholic parent. They may blame what is Oxford House themselves, live in fear, and develop mental health issues such as depression and anxiety. They may show aggression towards their peers at school and may isolate themselves. If you’ve been covering up for your loved one and not talking about their addiction openly for a long time, it may seem daunting to reach out for help.
- But, these can also lead to lasting issues that a person has to cope with indefinitely.
- Also, the non-alcoholic partner may feel embarrassed or ashamed to have friends over and cook up excuses for the absence of the alcoholic partner.
- Start by contacting a professional, such as an addiction counselor or your family doctor, to discuss treatment options.
- A specific type of codependency can occur in children of those with AUD.
- A licensed therapist can support you in developing coping skills and better understanding your relationship dynamics.
Set boundaries
If you have an alcoholic spouse, you’ll be quickly exhausted from trying to help if you don’t know exactly how to go about it. While you may not be able to stop them from drinking, you can change yourself and your behavior toward the situation. If your spouse refuses to get help, keep trying and look after yourself.
Whether you’re living with an alcoholic spouse or a family member, it’s important to recognize that you don’t have to face this challenge alone. Setting boundaries, seeking professional help, and connecting with support groups are crucial steps in navigating addiction’s impact. The effects of living with an alcoholic spouse include increased stress, emotional exhaustion, and strain on your mental health. When daily life is disrupted by unpredictable behaviors, arguments, and broken trust, you may feel helpless.
The Recovery Village Atlanta
We’ve also put together the dos and don’ts of talking to the person about their drinking, which you can use if and when you’re ready to have this conversation. Our family therapy sessions are designed to strengthen the family unit and guide everyone toward healing and restoration. You deserve support and guidance as you navigate this difficult journey, and we’re here to help you every step of the way. Contact Longbranch today to take the first living with an alcoholic spouse step towards a brighter, alcohol-free future for you and your family. Living with an alcoholic husband can lead to constant worry, anxiety, and stress regarding his well-being and behavior. You may feel helpless and frustrated when your “interventions” don’t help.
