This can help you gauge when your husband needs help or intervention. High-functioning alcoholism presents a unique challenge in identification due to its often subtle signs. This condition blends the diagnostic criteria of alcohol use disorders with the daily functioning of individuals, making it difficult to recognize without a keen understanding of the behaviors involved. Your Alcoholics Anonymous husband may appear as the epitome of joy and success—holding down a stable job, being a loving partner and parent, and always the heart of any social gathering. However, the reality within the confines of your home tells a different story. The routine of reaching for a beer or whiskey upon returning from work becomes his way to unwind, with every event, big or small, seemingly justifying alcohol consumption.
Signs Your Loved One is a Functioning Alcoholic?
It may be a source of enlightenment to him just how far-reaching his alcohol abuse has become. However, if your husband is in denial about the extent of his drinking, then he may not be ready or willing to consider seeking treatment. That stress, inevitably, bleeds https://ecosoberhouse.com/ into relationships, which can cause cracks and fissures that will rupture if not addressed in a healthy way. Fights over the alcohol abuse may ensue; if the alcoholic loses control when they are drunk, there is an increased risk of domestic violence. Alcohol can contribute to long-term stress, as it often inhibits the proper sleep cycle and can exacerbate issues such as depression or anxiety. Thus, it will be leaned on cyclically as stress increases in the life of a functional alcoholic.
Holding an Intervention
Here we discuss codependency and how a “caring” spouse can end up keeping the alcoholic in his disease. At the same time, she neglects functional alcoholic husband her own needs in a trade off that seems to be based on love. A functional alcoholic often consumes as much alcohol as someone with an alcohol use disorder.
- It’s important to note any problems they are having at work if there are reductions in pay or disciplinary measures.
- This can make you feel very stressed over a number of issues including your own future.
- However, if your husband is in denial about the extent of his drinking, then he may not be ready or willing to consider seeking treatment.
- Because denial is so strong with functioning alcoholics, it often takes a significant life-changing event for them to “wake up” to reality.
When You May Need to Seek Further Treatment
At The Ridge Ohio, we aim to provide trauma-informed care to struggling alcoholics and their spouses. Functioning alcoholism is manageable but can become potentially harmful and lead to ongoing health issues with irreversible consequences. Take care of your mental health, raise awareness of healthy lifestyle choices, and nurture a positive and supportive environment. If not done carefully, confrontation can end badly, especially if the person is afunctioning alcoholicin denial or someone who has a history of verbal or physical abuse. In general, it may be smart to have other people present when confronting the alcoholic. A functional alcoholic is almost always an alcoholic or a family who is comparing them to those worse off than them.
- When you read through the questions of these assessment instruments, you will see how interested they are in determining behavior as well as the effects of consumption.
- We hope a family sees the need to seek professional guidance as much as the substance user requires professional guidance.
- An intervention is a planned meeting in which the concerned parties confront the alcoholic about their behavior.
- The guidance of a professional can help reduce the risk of relapse significantly.
- It is important to consider that their drinking could eventually become the priority as it often does with a moderate or severe alcohol use disorder.
- As mentioned earlier, this form of alcohol abuse will have far-reaching, multifaceted consequences.
As mentioned earlier, this form of alcohol abuse will have far-reaching, multifaceted consequences. They are at risk of drinking and driving, being unsafe or using poor judgment with others, and even blacking out, all of which can be fatal. Regarding physical symptoms, slurred speech and bloodshot or watery eyes are telltale signs of alcohol abuse. You may also observe unsteady walking, physical impairment, or difficulty with hand-eye coordination. Extremely important is to pay attention to their ability to navigate a car if they happen to be behind the wheel.
Stage 2: Improved Alcohol Tolerance
Tasks such as paying bills, cleaning the house, or keeping relationships take a back seat. Understanding these risks can be helpful if you’re considering entering into a living situation or remaining in a living situation with an alcoholic. A strong possibility for frequent ups and downs, not only in their moods and also in their financial, emotional, and social states.
Living With an Alcoholic Spouse? You’ve Got 4 Options.
Here are indicators that your partner, despite appearing functional, may indeed be battling an alcohol addiction and could benefit from professional treatment. You may begin to feel isolated and alone, and that can be detrimental to your overall health. That is a signal that you, and your husband, need the hope that alcohol rehabilitation treatment can bring. He has a solid career, loves you and the kids and is the life of the party in social situations. But if people could see what he is like in the privacy of your home, they may form a different opinion. He comes home from work each night and gets a beer or a glass of whiskey before doing anything else.
Paying for Treatment
The patients may have convinced themselves that they don’t have a problem by virtue of their apparent ability to function. For these reasons, a residential rehab is often recommended when treating alcoholism. Whether they are hiding and lying due to denial or on purpose, it doesn’t change the fact that this situation creates a lot of trust issues. Sustaining a good marriage is hard work – being married to a functioning alcoholic makes it even harder. A functional alcoholic is someone who engages in alcohol abuse but who doesn’t show the usual signs of distress from the disorder.
- It may be that a person can drink excessively for many years before it impacts their job, their relationships and their overall stability.
- Even though functional alcoholics may be able to hold everything together on the outside, this facade merely masks their true state.
- If you are observing warning signs of functional alcoholism and see it getting worse, it may be time to ask for help.
- This quieter pattern of drinking can have serious consequences for both physical health and personal relationships.
- Functional or high-functioning alcoholics do not always meet the stereotypical image of alcohol addiction and are not always easy to spot.
Unfortunately, because they don’t believe their drinking is an issue, high-functioning alcoholics may not seek out the help they need. If you are looking for a treatment facility for your spouse, contact Casa Palmera today. Our compassionate and caring team of experienced professionals can answer any questions and walk with you and your partner on the road to alcohol addiction recovery. People tend to think of alcohol abuse as easy to spot—but functional alcoholism is as serious as any addiction, and can be just as damaging. Living with a functional alcoholic can be incredibly confusing and challenging for your relationship.
