Living with an Alcoholic

You’re exhausted and frustrated. You’re tired of putting up with mood swings and erratic behaviour. Living with an alcoholic can be testing on your relationships. You have tried everything to help them quit but the truth is, it is up to them to take the first steps towards recovery.
For many social drinking is just a normal part of life, however, the line becomes blurry when the occasional drink becomes more and more. In this article we address how to handle dealing with alcoholism.

Open up the conversation

Struggling with alcoholism means a lot of people brush the issue under the carpet. Don’t cover it up as it only worsens the problem. Address the issue with your partner and open the conversation to how the issue is going to be resolved.

Don’t try to cure it

Alcoholism is a serious issue that can take some time to cure. An alcoholic requires the help of a healthcare professional and proper counselling and treatment. Don’t try to tackle it on your own. Seek help and let the alcoholic deal with the problem. Be there for support but don’t take on the burden yourself. It is their responsibility to want to resolve and take care of their health and relationships.

Avoid Constant Monitoring

Your worries and concerns will not motivate an alcoholic to quit. They need to manage their recovery in their own way and time. While you will naturally care and want to look out for them it’s important to continue living your life and let them know you are here for support.

Do not accept intolerable behaviour

Accepting intolerable behaviours is not advised in these situations as it will only motivate an alcoholic to repeat the irrational behaviour. Accepting the behaviour means it can turn into a normal occurrence, resulting in abusive situations that can damage personal relationships.

Seek guidance and help

Trying to control the problem on your own is not recommended. People with an alcohol problem do require professional help and most people only seek this help once it gets unbearable. Therefore, it is recommended you seek help and guidance from a local GP or clinic instead of trying to cure the problem yourself.

A resolution Applecross specialises in cognitive behavioural couple therapy for the treatment of alcoholism. Research shows that working with a therapist to treat alcoholism is one of the most successful ways to help people who are addicted to alcohol get better.