14.4 million adults have admitted to having issues with alcohol abuse. If you’re dating someone, but aren’t entirely sure if they’re an alcoholic, you’ve come to the right place.
Below we’re going to detail some of the most common signs that you’re dating an alcoholic and provide some advice on the steps you need to take next to get them the help they need.
1. Every Occasion Alcohol Is Present
There are times when having a glass or two of an alcoholic beverage is okay. Still, when you find that every time you and your significant other are in a social situation, alcohol is present, that’s one of the main signs you’re dating an alcoholic. Even if you attend an occasion where no alcohol is present, your partner will find a way to get some.
You might also begin to notice that your partner only wants to attend events where they know there will be alcohol available for them to drink.
2. Increased Alcohol Tolerance
Someone that has an issue with alcohol will have built up a tolerance over time. This means that even after they’ve had multiple drinks, it doesn’t appear to others around them that they’re intoxicated.
Dating someone with alcohol issues who built a tolerance to it means that they will need to consume more alcohol to achieve the same effects.
3. Personality Changes While Drinking
Dating someone with an alcohol issue is like dating Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. One moment their the person you love, charming, funny, and easy to be around. The next minute you don’t know who you’re talking to.
When a person has drunk in excess, they begin to show signs of mood changes. While some alcoholics become energetic and loud, others become angry and lash out at people around them.
Nonetheless, if you’re looking for tips for dating an alcoholic, one thing we can tell you is to be prepared for the emotional rollercoaster. Things change in the blink of an eye, and it can catch you off guard if you’ve not noticed the signs of alcoholism before.
4. Withdrawal
After drinking, it’s a matter of time before the body has cleansed itself of all toxins. For alcoholics, when they no longer have alcohol in their systems, they will enter into what’s known as withdrawal.
The symptoms of withdrawal differ for everyone, but include:
- Nausea
- Shaking
- Irritability
- Vomiting
Until they’re able to get another drink, these symptoms of withdrawal will continue to intensify. Someone with an alcohol issue will begin to feel these effects minutes to hours after they’ve had their last alcoholic beverage.
5. Drinking Is the Root of Their Problems
Have they recently lost a job? Or perhaps they’ve destroyed relationships that used to matter to them?
When a person becomes consumed by addiction, nothing else in their life matters except chasing that feeling. Someone amid an alcohol addiction will stop caring about other responsibilities like going to work or paying bills.
They will begin to do things like lie to people they love and manipulate them into providing funds to help fuel their habit. If anything or anyone stands in the way of them and a drink, the situation could turn ugly in the blink of an eye.
6. Legal Issues
Drinking reduces your cognitive ability to reason and make sound decisions. Every 52 minutes, one person is involved in an accident where a drunk driver is a cause of what happened.
Being involved in an accident could not only threaten the life of you and your partner, but it could also lead to legal problems for them. They can be arrested and charged with a DUI.
Depending on where you live, the consequences for a DUI could be any of the following:
- Time in jail
- Paying a fine
- Community service
- License suspense
Again the consequences and severity of them depend on where you live. As well as the number of DUI’s your partner has had in the past. When someone has been drinking, they should never be allowed to get behind a car’s wheel and operate it.
7. Family History of Alcoholism
Some people come from families where alcoholism runs deep for many generations, and your significant other may come from this type of family. They’ve become desensitized to what alcohol does to people because they’ve seen it play out for many years.
It’s only natural that as they matured into adulthood, they too began to drink, which led to an alcohol abuse issue. Not having solid examples around you can cause you to think things like excessive alcohol consumption is something that everyone does when it’s not.
There are studies that seek to show a link between people’s genetics and alcoholism.
8. On Edge Without Alcohol
Consuming alcohol can calm someone in ways that they aren’t used to. Another sign that you’re dating an alcoholic is if they appear to be stressed out when they’re not drinking.
As soon as they get a few drops of alcohol in their body, they are in a much better mood, and they’re able to interact with those around them.
Signs You’re Dating an Alcoholic
There are several signs you’re dating an alcoholic, starting with them only wanting to attend events where alcohol will be present or having a family history of alcohol abuse. If you’re going to date someone with an alcohol issue, it’s time to get them the help they need to lead a sober life.
Contact New Leaf Detox & Treatment. We’ve got the programs and experts here to help your partner shake addiction and get back the life they need, giving you the partner you deserve.
