For the loved ones of people with an alcohol or substance use disorder, sometimes this isn’t easy. Physically, alcohol use can increase your risk of liver disease, heart problems, and certain cancers. It can interfere with your sleep, suppress your immune system, and contribute to long-term cognitive changes like memory loss or brain fog. It also affects mental health, often worsening symptoms of anxiety, depression, or low self-esteem. We also draw attention to some red flags that your drinking may have become unhealthy, and provide next steps for making a change. Alcohol can erode trust, increase conflict, create emotional distance, and lead to financial strain, all of which weaken the bond Twelve-step program between partners.
Understanding Alcoholism and its Impact on Relationships
Our guide explains all you need to know about living with an alcoholic spouse and how to get help for yourself and your spouse. Shaking or tremors, especially after a night of drinking or during withdrawal, can be a warning sign that your body is physically dependent on alcohol. Other symptoms, such as nausea, sweating, or headaches, may also indicate alcohol withdrawal.
Neglecting Responsibilities and Relationships
For instance, someone with alcohol addiction might lie to their spouse about where they are (e.g., a bar or friend’s house) because it involves drinking. Or they might hide how much they were drinking, who they were hanging out with, or what they were doing in order to avoid a fight. The truth is that alcohol abuse can take a serious toll on even the strongest of relationships, to the point where they can fail.
- Deciding to fulfill normal tasks, especially driving, while drunk, when aware of the risks, is one of the warning signs of an alcoholic.
- Drinking heavy amounts of alcohol within a short period could be a pointer to alcoholism.
- Many people with alcoholism use alcohol to numb emotional pain or cope with difficult situations.
- Many people who want to know the signs of alcoholism in a spouse don’t realize that blacking out doesn’t necessarily mean their spouse will become unconscious when it occurs.
- If you want your alcoholic partner to get better, you could be sabotaging their progress if you continue to drink alcohol.
- The journey may be difficult, but with the right approach, support, and resources like Restore Detox Centers, recovery is possible.
Signs that Your Partner is an Alcoholic
As difficult as it can be, if a relationship is having a negative impact on you, you have the right to move on. While none of these issues are guaranteed to appear in your relationship, they remain a risk so long as your partner is drinking excessively. If you find yourself dating an alcoholic, it’s best to deal with the problem before it gets any worse. Beyond codependency, there are many ways alcoholism can undermine a long-term relationship. Studies show higher rates of divorce in marriages where one person drinks heavily, as well as lower relationship satisfaction and higher distress levels. And although some researchers question whether alcohol is the root cause of this, domestic violence appears to be more common when one partner drinks excessively.
Hearing stories from peers who have experienced similar things can reduce isolation and reinforce the importance of accountability and change. This method promotes communication, accountability, and collaboration, ensuring children feel safe and supported. This article explores how does alcohol affects relationships, what therapy helps within this context, and how evidence-based and holistic therapies can rebuild connections. Individual therapy, combined with marriage or family counseling, can strengthen your self-esteem and help you build a healthy, sober relationship. You may create a relapse prevention plan in which you maintain open communication, support how to recognize signs and symptoms of alcoholism and alcohol abuse your spouse to avoid relapse, and help them get back into treatment if they relapse.