If you’re unsure where to begin, helping your loved one speak with a GP can be a good first step. A GP can provide referrals, assess readiness for alcohol detox, and help explore the right path forward. If you decide to talk to your loved one about their drinking, it’s important to choose the right time.

The Next Steps

Whether you’re living with a functioning alcoholic, or someone with an alcohol dependency, life can be physically and emotionally draining. Learning how to deal with an alcoholic spouse as well as looking after yourself can be stressful and it’s likely you’ll need support to help you manage. We’ve put together some recommendations on how to look after yourself and the other people living in your household. Dealing with an alcoholic partner and coping with their alcoholic behaviours and tendencies can have a massive impact on a person’s life. Within this blog, we explore the dos and don’ts of living with someone addicted to alcohol. 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.

AUD is considered a complex medical condition that affects both the physical and mental health of individuals.

If you’re a parent, how to live with an alcoholic wife it’s important to give your children the best version of yourself. The impact on your own health and mental well-being if you stay will continue to affect your ability to function in your job and parent your children. Naturally, if your partner is physically violent, the threat to your safety and that of the rest of your family remains high. You may find that you’re spending all your time doing damage control at your job, with friends and family, or dealing with the fallout from the drinking. You’ve likely been through extensive back-and-forth with your spouse over this issue.

Practical Effects

• This might be in the form of therapy, counseling, or joining support groups like Alcoholics Anonymous.
• Your health plan’s contracted network providers may also offer in-office appointments.
• Many believe that their spouse’s drinking issues are a direct reflection of themselves and feel as if it is their job to remedy the situation.
• You might also observe changes in priorities, where activities that once brought joy have taken a backseat to drinking.
• It’s like riding a roller coaster that never stops, filled with emotional ups and downs.

Learn about alcoholism, alcohol dependence, the effects of excessive drinking, alcohol withdrawal, and alcohol detox to better understand the challenges your loved one is facing. Learn about available treatments for AUD, including therapy, harm reduction, medications, family therapy, support groups, residential treatment, and outpatient programs. Understanding the condition and available addiction treatment options can help you approach the situation more effectively. For individuals with alcohol use disorder, professional treatment often represents the most direct path toward recovery. Treatment options drug addiction treatment vary, and what works best can depend on the severity of the addiction, co-occurring mental health conditions, and the individual’s personal circumstances. As a supportive spouse, familiarizing yourself with these treatment avenues can help you encourage your partner to seek appropriate help.

So, the advice here is to keep away from the situation and let things happen. And when they do, take them to the professional instead of trying to make things right on your own. It’s a natural tendency to try and take control of the alcoholic husband in order to make things right.