The 4 Stages of Alcoholism for the Functioning Alcoholic

But maybe they drinka few glasses of wine each night to help them fall asleep. Or, they get bombed every weekend but don’t skip a beat at their demanding job. As the lines between real and fake blur, Americans increasingly chase the idea of authenticity. The first step may be to consider self-knowledge, truthfulness, and other building blocks on the road to personal growth. You worry that if you leave, he’ll self-destruct, and you love him too much despite what he puts you through. You know that it’s a disease and that the things he does are a symptom, and you don’t want to give up on him because he’s sick.

On the outside, high-functioning alcoholics may appear to be great parents. They may show up to their child’s events and seem to have good relationships with their children. But they may choose to drink at home instead of spending time with their children. Or they may drink in front of their children, increasing their risk of becoming an alcoholic when they grow up. You may begin to feel isolated and alone, and that can be detrimental to your overall health.

Alcohol Contributes to Stress

Once you get to really know them, you likely recognize how serious their alcohol dependency is. Here at FHE Health, we are committed to providing treatment not only for alcoholics but also for the people who are closest to them. We’ve prepared a list of the most common questions we hear from partners of alcoholics to help you understand what to expect if you’re dating an alcoholic, what you can do to help, and when it’s time to end the relationship.

• Co-Dependents Anonymous is a 12-step program for people who are trying to recover from a codependent relationship.
• Effective treatments are available, and your provider can advise on next steps.
• Regardless of whether the person can function in some aspects of life, alcoholism is a serious disease.

It may be difficult to self-diagnose your loved one because of bias and an emotional attachment. Although an appropriate assessment would require the alcohol user to answer the questions, a family can read through them and see all that apply. Living with an alcoholic can be overwhelming, especially for a spouse or significant other. When children are present in the home, it can and will take a toll on their mental health and emotions. Tasks such as paying bills, cleaning the house, or keeping relationships take a back seat.

What Makes Dealing with High-Functioning Alcoholics so Challenging?

According to the 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health,about 14.5 million people have an AUD, and yet only 7% received treatment that year. In short, “there’s not a single image of AUD,” points out Sabrina Spotorno, a clinical social worker and alcoholism and substance abuse counselor at Monument. Functional alcoholics may seem to be in control, Benton says, but they may put themselves or others in danger by drinking and driving, having risky sexual encounters, or blacking out. People with alcohol use disorder can appear responsible and productive.They might even be a high achiever or in a position of power.

You likely have questions about how to deal with an alcoholic, or how to help an alcoholic. Self-help organizations, church groups, and 12-step programs like Al-Anon and Alateen offer advice, hope and encouragement to people involved with functioning alcoholics. If you or someone you love has an alcohol use problem and are concerned about the impact it might be having on family and friends, talk to your healthcare provider. Effective treatments are available, and your provider can advise on next steps. Your provider can prescribe medications that can help people stop drinking and help with symptoms of alcohol withdrawal. They can also recommend treatment programs that may help with detox and recovery.

Impacts of Living with an Alcoholic Spouse

Aftercare and alcohol relapse prevention can help increase the opportunity for continued sobriety and abstinence. Your spouse may not be willing to admit that they have a problem. There are times when they will admit there is a problem and be unwilling to pursue treatment for their addiction. Without follow-through, addressing the problem is manipulation and false hope. Some alcohol users feel admitting there is a problem is what a family needs to hear and is enough for them to back off for a while. Families can get stuck in a holding pattern or waiting game while waiting for the day they address the admitted problem.

• Your spouse may not be willing to admit that they have a problem.
• The alcoholic is then presented with a plan of care, including a proposal of consequences if they decide to refuse.
• On the outside, high-functioning alcoholics may appear to be great parents.
• “Always approach a loved one from a place of support and desire to help them, instead of leading with judgment or anger,” says Omar Elhaj, MD, a senior medical director at LifeStance Health.
• If you have children, you may be worried about their welfare and safety if, say, your husband has been drinking before driving them to their soccer games.

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. In cases where the person’s alcohol use disorder is not recognized as a result of being treated for some other issue, it is important the person is approached carefully regarding the need for treatment. A good strategy is to discuss the issue with a licensed mental health professional who specializes in the treatment of addiction before confronting the individual with a suspected alcohol abuse problem. Individuals classified as functional alcoholics by the research often behave in a manner that is in direct opposition to the common or stereotypic notions that people have about individuals who have alcohol use disorders. In addition, the notion of the functional alcoholic subtype has actually been around long before the latent class analysis model was developed, and it was based anecdotal observations.

Is Dating an Alcoholic in Denial Enabling Their Addiction?

Unlike other alcoholics, the term commonly used to refer to people with alcoholism, high-functioning alcoholics don’t display obvious side effects of their disease. Most people with alcohol addiction have trouble keeping up with work. They lose track of friendships and prioritize time with alcohol over family time. Our compassionate team functional alcoholic husband of admission counselors is available 24/7 to answer any questions you may have before committing to one of our drug addiction treatment programs. We offer free phone consultations to discuss your or your loved one’s condition and available recovery resources. We are fully committed to getting you the help you need as quickly as possible.