Is My Husband A High-Functioning Alcoholic?

If all else fails, you might have to stage an intervention to get a high functioning alcoholic the help they need before it’s too late. One of the characteristics of an alcoholic who is high functioning is that they justify drinking as a celebration. This is their way of drinking alcohol in the guise of being social or convivial rather than admitting that they’re drinking only high functioning alcoholic for the sake of drinking. If you are enabling the alcohol abuse, you need to stop taking those actions immediately. Do not bring alcohol into the house, do not encourage drinking as a way to relax or enjoy a social occasion and do not drink with your spouse. The National Institutes of Health has determined that a functioning alcoholic is a specific subtype of alcoholism.

After all, they have managed to maintain the appearance of success despite their addiction. But most high-functioning alcoholics have friends or loved ones who help them cover up the consequences of their drinking. These individuals may unconsciously encourage or enable the alcoholic’s behavior by allowing the alcoholic to avoid the negative consequences of destructive drinking.

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Families may have a more difficult time setting boundaries and holding them accountable too. Families are frequently more fearful of confrontation because of guilt, shame, and past experiences. To protect yourself from the alcoholic, it is suggested that setting boundaries and holding them accountable for their actions is often helpful for both you and them.

  • We are fully committed to getting you the help you need as quickly as possible.
  • We encourage all those struggling with substance use to seek professional help.
  • Almost three-fourth of the participants had per capita income between Rs. 1000 and 10,000 with mean per capita income of Rs. 4822.
  • A high-functioning alcoholic generally consumes as much alcohol as someone with a classic alcohol use disorder, but they never show the typical signs of intoxication.
  • However, with changes in gender roles and growth of feminism, the engaged coping has turned high.

So we recognize that the drinking spouse in this scenario is almost as likely to be a woman, but for the sake of editorial clarity, please forgive the gender-specific pronouns. Jackie has been involved in the substance abuse and addiction treatment sector for over five years and this is something that she is truly eager about. You cannot force your spouse to go to substance abuse treatment, but you can change your actions that may be enabling them.

Denial or Avoidance

HFAs may provide the main source of income for a family and therefore the spouse or partner may not feel that they have the leverage to persuade the HFA to get help. HFAs typically do not realize the extent to which their drinking affects others. The fact that they are „functioning“ and able to go to work, excel in academics, provide for their family and still drink excessively feeds their denial. Functional alcoholics are often responsible, productive, and high achieving.

  • It may be difficult to self-diagnose your loved one because of bias and an emotional attachment.
  • Healthy people set boundaries in their life and can stick to them.
  • Admitting to an AUD would upend the mythology they’ve created for themselves.

You wonder what you’re missing, what they’re missing, whether there’s something better out there or if it’s a classic case of the grass being greener in someone else’s yard. So if you’re in the same situation, married to an otherwise-wonderful man with a terrible problem, I’m talking to you. They might think they’re fine because they’re showing up to work every day, for example, but their boss probably would say otherwise. They might think that their friends think they’re the life of the party, when actually, they haven’t been invited to major events because of their drunken shenanigans.

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Some questions we ask may not seem relevant, and they are intended to help determine how much help your loved one may require. Due to how acceptable social and recreational drinking is, excessive alcohol use may be difficult https://ecosoberhouse.com/ to identify. This is why focusing on behaviors provides much better insight than trying to watch for excessive consumption. Even binge drinking or alcohol warning signs may be missed or be perceived as moderate or tolerable.