How do I know if my partner is an alcoholic? What is the behavior of an alcoholic with his partner and how to identify it? Discover the signs that indicate an alcoholic profile and how to help.
Alcohol is totally normalized in our society. In fact, when you stay with friends, family or a partner, these meetings are usually accompanied by alcoholic beverages. He who does not drink wine or beer is the odd one out and is often questioned, especially if the meeting is for some celebration. All of this promotes the drinking culture. Alcohol is associated with happy and disconnected moments and that is a big problem, especially if we are in a relationship with this person. So how can we detect the behavior of an alcoholic with his partner ?
It is often difficult to see that line that separates the alcoholic from non-alcoholic Many people think that an alcoholic is that person who does not separate themselves from alcohol for even a moment. However, there are different types of alcoholism; It is not necessary to always be drunk to be an alcoholic. The key is dependency, if you need alcohol to do something, you are addicted. Many alcoholics do not get drunk or feel dizzy, since the tolerance level is high and they need to consume a large amount of the substance to feel physically altered.
So, the first step for the alcoholic is to understand that he or she suffers from substance dependence. Many are not aware of this and this is the first task of the person close to them: to make the alcoholic aware that he has a problem.
Profile of the alcoholic: How do you know if your partner is an alcoholic?
In order to know how to identify a alcoholic person it is important to know what the symptoms or attitudes are like that indicate a problem with alcohol:
Drink alone: Normally, people tend to drink when we are in certain social situations. The alcoholics They usually drink in solitude or even in secret.
Unlimited: A alcoholic person that is, who suffers from an alcohol problem, usually cannot limit the amount of alcohol they consume.
Memory loss: A alcoholic man or woman You may pass out and not have the ability to remember fragments of time due to alcohol abuse.
Have rituals: A alcoholic You can establish certain rituals around the drink. For example, drinking before or after meals or after work.
Lack of interest: To detect a alcoholic person, a behavior common is precisely to end up losing interest in those thoughts that were previously enjoyed.
Irritability: He alcohol and personality change They are usually related due to the irritability that an alcoholic person can suffer from their addiction to this drink.
Problems in relationships or work: Another sign that can be key to detecting alcoholic profile They are specifically the problems that can arise due to excess alcohol. For example, people can end up having conflicts both at work and in their personal relationships.
Physical signs: In addition to suffering changes in personality or in attitude, an alcoholic may end up suffering from symptoms such as nausea, sweating and tremors even though he/she is not sober.
These are some of the behaviors that may indicate that someone has a alcoholic profile Given these signs, it is important to seek the help of a professional if it is affecting you or your partner.
What is the behavior of an alcoholic with his partner?
In addition to the signs we have just mentioned, an alcoholic person has behavior that can be detected. Between the most common attitudes of an alcoholic Within a relationship, we find the following:
Psychological signs: Having too much alcohol in our body affects the brain’s ability to think clearly. Therefore, a common behavior of an alcoholic It may be a lack of judgment or an impulsive attitude. Additionally, the alcoholic person may become very confident or more talkative when under the influence of alcohol. In this way, we could even think that alcohol can produce a change in personality.
Emotional signs: An alcoholic You may end up having crying spells, hysteria, or even end up physically or verbally abusing others when under the influence of alcohol. An alcoholic’s mood and behavior can be erratic and unpredictable. When abstaining from alcohol, the person suffering from an addiction may end up suffering from sadness and anxiety.
Relational signs: He behavior of an alcoholic with his partner It causes many difficulties within the relationship. Mainly, the alcoholic person can end up arguing over common and normal everyday attitudes due to the irritability caused by alcohol.
Physical signs: Loss of coordination and stumbling are symptoms that often occur in people with drinking problems. Medical conditions can include a decrease in sexual functioning, stomach cramps, and even more serious ones, such as liver cirrhosis. Other physical signs of an alcoholic are fainting and nausea.
How can I help my alcoholic partner?
If you think that your partner may have a problem with alcohol, it is important that you help him or her become aware and apply the following tips:
Make him aware of the problem: As I mentioned before, it is important to help you understand that it depends on the substance. Propose to him every time he wants to consume, that he replace it with another drink. If he can’t do it or gets defensive, try to make him see (without starting an argument or blaming him) that it’s a problem that he can’t do it. Repeat this exercise several times to help you become aware of gravity.
Show your support and understanding and talk to them about how you feel: Explain that you are worried about him/her and how it makes you feel that he/she is harming himself/herself by using. Avoid judging and accusing him. There is no point in arguing about consumption (the argument will cause discomfort and they will try to get rid of the discomfort or stop thinking by drinking), show understanding and support to your partner. Explain that you will be by his/her side to try to leave him/her and explain how important he/she is to you, but do not force him/her or give ultimatums (if you do, the only thing you will find are lies, since he/she will agree only to not lose you but not because he/she sees the need).
Try talking about how you feel and why you turn to drinking: Listen carefully and try to support him. Many people drink to avoid facing problems or because they feel cornered. Other people do it to forget mistakes they have made or not to think about it, others do it because they do not know how to manage their emotions and with alcohol they feel liberated, there are also those who do it because they do not accept themselves and with alcohol they become disinhibited. and they can feel better and finally there are those who consume because their life bores them and instead of changing they do like ostriches (put their heads in the sand). Try to help him decipher the meaning that alcohol has in his life and help him replace it.
Eliminate alcohol from your lives: If you want me not to drink, don’t do it yourself. Serve as an example and don’t provoke him. If there is alcohol in the house, you are likely to turn to it and then an argument will ensue (because you have failed to keep the promise of abstinence). When you are in front of him/her, do not consume alcohol and ask friends to do the same when they are with him/her.
Nurture your relationship: At this time the relationship may be weakened. Try to improve it by doing more things together, spending quality time, enjoying good times (things you both like) and taking care of each other.
Take care yourself: It’s okay that you take care of him/her and that you are there for him/her but don’t go completely out of your way and above all, don’t forget about yourself. Keep doing things that make you feel good and take care of your individuality, meet your friends and family and talk about how you feel, that is, seek their support. If you are not strong, it will be very difficult for your partner to get out of this.
Ask for therapeutic help: It is often especially helpful to start specialized addiction therapy in a self-help group. Normally the most effective treatment is group therapy, as it helps them feel understood by people who are in similar situations to theirs and will try to help each other. Obviously it is necessary that you support him and be a participant in the treatment. If the therapist gives you some guidelines, it is essential that you follow them strictly and that you participate in the sessions when requested.
Prepare for possible relapses: Any addiction is fluctuating. It usually has moments of improvement and periods of setback or relapse. Do not blame him or argue with him/her when one occurs, it is the most normal thing. It’s not that easy to quit an addiction. Be aware of this and encourage him to try again. It is hard enough for your partner to have fallen without receiving retaliation. Think that addictions are like roller coasters and you have to prepare for the possible downturns.
A alcoholic person You may end up suffering from many problems due to this addiction. But, if this is also your partner, you can also end up harmed by it. For this reason, it is important to start taking actions to solve this behavior.
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This article has been reviewed by our editorial team at PsychologyFor to ensure accuracy, clarity, and adherence to evidence-based research. The content is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional mental health advice.
