Sometimes, alcoholics know. They know how each sip they take is a step toward their mental, emotional and physical breakdown. Sometimes, they do not. They spend their days and nights drinking to drown their sorrow or just celebrate happiness. They depend on alcohol for their very existence and here is where the toxic cycle of alcoholism begins. In the process, they slowly lose the grip they have over their life and their relationships.
The impact of alcoholism on relationships is immense.
Alcoholics don’t realise how much they are losing out on their relationships when they prioritise their bottle of alcohol over their loved ones. Alcoholics don’t listen, they zone out and wait for the chaos and noise to die down. Their loved ones’ bickering sounds irritating to them as their only priority exists to drink and think of the times dear to them the most.
Intimacy in a relationship becomes a distinct affair as the alcoholic becomes intimate with the concept of alcohol and not their partner. The impact of alcoholism is a big factor in why relationships and marriages fail. The harshness of alcohol drains away one’s emotional and mental energy and makes the person unavailable to the world. The person also becomes financially strapped and is unable to provide for themselves or their family. Starting from intimacy issues, unreliability and miscommunication, alcoholism annihilates the patience a person has for their alcoholic partner. After all, how much is one supposed to endure?
It is not just one’s partner, but their parents, children and other relatives who have to suffer from the adverse effects of alcoholism. They may not be in direct contact, but they silently suffer, watching their loved ones slowly ruin themselves. An alcoholic also tries to cower down from guilt, shame and embarrassment. They slowly hide from their family and resist talking about what they have been going through. When provided help, their natural reaction is to bashfully refuse any rehabilitation. This can be very difficult to handle because the lies, mistrust, hidden bottles in the bathroom and secret money expenditures can drive a person insane.
What is worse? Alcoholism entices a range of emotions–that may be violent.
It is no surprise that often alcoholics resort to extreme behaviour when they are extremely drunk. Some yell, fight or even physically abuse their partner, while some others enter into a mindful of suicidal thoughts. They are unable to unlatch themselves from this disorder and this continues to pose a deadly threat to one’s relationships and life aspirations. According to studies, a large percentage of homes experience domestic violence if one of the partners is an alcoholic. Forcefully enlisting the partner in a rehabilitation centre is the only last hope a woeful person can make for their alcoholic partner.
It is indeed very difficult to be in a relationship with such a person but continuing to love and care for them is the only hope the latter has. One might have to step in and play the role of their therapist or angel in disguise but determined support may be the key to sustaining a relationship that has been wrecked by alcoholism.
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