Leaving an Alcoholic Partner: A Guide to Moving Forward with Strength and Compassion

should i stay with an alcoholic

He is a freelance medical writer specializing in creating content to improve public awareness of health topics. We are honored to have Ben writing exclusively for Dualdiagnosis.org. It’s also essential to ask your loved one for any specific kind of help they might require from you. As the closest person to your spouse, you often have to pick up the pieces when things go wrong. You may also consider contacting a professional interventionist if you’re considering staging an intervention. Ultimately, it’s important to be able to leave the house if things become out of hand or dangerous.

When Is it Time to Leave an Alcoholic Husband or Wife?

It can be difficult to know what to do to minimize conflict and stress, support your loved one, and tend to your own needs at the same time. Although alcohol is readily available anywhere, if you are dating an alcoholic, not drinking in their presence is a simple yet powerful thing you can do to support their sobriety. Coping with a partner’s alcoholism can be emotionally draining and stressful. It’s important to prioritize your own mental health and well-being as you support your partner through their recovery journey.

You’re Not Able To Take Care Of Yourself Or Your Kids Anymore

  • In certain situations, the patient will leave after detox and continue their therapy on an out-patient basis, while some choose to remain for in-patient care.
  • During an intercession, let your statements be concise and avoid preaching.
  • As stated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), excessive drinking can lead to short-term and long-term health risks.

“You don’t blame, you don’t shame, and you don’t make any assumptions. You might also need to offer extra support during celebratory events where alcohol is served to guests. Once this has successfully occurred, plans can be made to seek the support of a counseling and group therapist (such as Al-Anon).

should i stay with an alcoholic

How to deal with an alcoholic partner

Deciding to leave an alcoholic partner is an emotionally complex and daunting task. If you’re feeling overwhelmed and unsure where to begin, these guidelines are meant to offer a more nuanced approach, considering both the immediate and long-term challenges you may face. Having an alcoholic husband or wife in your home has such a negative ripple effect.

What are the Warning Signs of Alcohol Addiction?

  • Not only does alcohol addiction, or alcohol use disorder (AUD), affect those who have it, but it can also have significant effects on their interpersonal relationships and households.
  • Someone with AUD may also become angry or irritable when they don’t have access to alcohol because they’re experiencing withdrawal.
  • Any relationship requires mutual trust, respect, forgiveness, and love to have a chance at succeeding, and when you’re in a relationship with an addict, these core elements are tested.
  • In addition, alcoholism can impact intimacy and trust in a relationship.
  • Your partner’s drinking can impact you and your children’s lives depending on the severity of alcoholism.
  • Accept it and don’t think of it as a misstep on your part; instead, strive to change the relationship’s emphasis on establishing healthy barriers for you and your loved one.

Our custom, medically-managed treatment program can help you overcome addiction and equip you with the tools you need to take back control of your life leaving an alcoholic for good. Alcoholism, or alcohol use disorder, is a chronic illness that often affects a person’s behavior, emotions, and mental health. For the next 90 days, they would have to work their butt off with a professional as well, to get to their core of the addiction called codependency. The above client that I mentioned at the start of this article, never had the strength to lay down the law, and she tells her husband to leave until he got sober.

should i stay with an alcoholic

Treatment

should i stay with an alcoholic

Unfortunately, this usually results in leaving those family members feeling lonely and frustrated. Keep in mind that even if you have the best of intentions, there’s a good chance your alcoholic partner might not be receptive to your offers of help. After all, most people who struggle with substance abuse are in denial about the severity of their problems, and that’s especially true for functional alcoholics. Finally, being in a relationship with an alcoholic can take a toll on your own mental health and well-being.

should i stay with an alcoholic

You might feel helpless, alone, or even responsible for their addiction. It’s Sober living house important to remember that alcoholism is a disease and that you cannot control your partner’s behavior. Living with an alcoholic doesn’t necessarily mean your loved one is still drinking. While the term can describe someone who actively drinks, you might be living with a husband, wife, or parent who is a recovering addict.