Watching your partner struggle with alcohol addiction can be extremely painful and heartbreaking. If your partner has a drinking problem, or you suspect that they may have one, an alcohol rehab center can give your partner the professional treatment and support they need to become sober and healthier. However, broaching the topic of going to rehab can be a delicate matter if you think your partner may be resistant or in denial about having a problem.
Helping your loved one understand the importance of alcohol rehab treatment is the best thing you can do for their health, their livelihood, and your relationship. Here’s how to talk to your partner about getting help at alcohol rehab.
Learn More About Alcohol Addiction
Alcohol addiction isn’t a choice. Rather, it’s a complex brain disorder and mental illness that requires more than just a strong will and a positive attitude to overcome. Educating yourself about alcohol addiction and how it works can help you better understand your partner and what they may be going through.
Addiction can be caused by any one or more of several factors:
- To relieve anxiety and stress
- To treat symptoms of mental health disorders like PTSD and depression.
- They have close friends who drink
- They spend lots of time in environments where alcohol is easily accessible
- Having a family history of addiction is another risk factor for alcohol abuse, as well as early exposure to alcohol during childhood or teen years.
Your partner may already have tried to stop or cut back on their drinking one or more times but may have struggled with staying sober due to the way alcohol addiction affects the brain. An unsuccessful effort to control alcohol use despite the desire to do so is just one of 11 diagnostic criteria for alcohol addiction. Others include strong cravings and the urge to use alcohol, recurring alcohol use despite problems at work or home, and relationship problems caused or worsened by alcohol use.
Take time to research and learn more about alcohol addiction so you can empathize and understand your partner, and help them understand why seeking treatment is important and necessary.
Practice Good Timing
Timing is everything when it comes to talking to your partner about alcohol rehab. Wait until your partner is completely sober and coherent so they can properly engage with you during the discussion. Choose a time when you are feeling calm and not angry, to prevent conflict and to prevent your partner from becoming defensive. Also, choose a quiet, private place to have a discussion where there are no distractions and no access to alcohol.
Choosing the right time and setting is critical to getting through to your partner about the importance of seeking addiction treatment. Wait until both of you have the day off work, and set aside a large block of time that allows each of you to talk freely and at length about addiction without time constraints. If necessary, make childcare arrangements and avoid making any other plans so you and your partner can spend as much time as needed to discuss addiction and alcohol rehab.
Express Concern Without Preaching
It’s highly likely that your partner already knows they have a drinking problem. When talking with them, focus on coming from a place of love and express your concern rather than preaching or talking down to them about their addiction. The goal is to have a conversation—not a confrontation—about addiction and how it’s affecting your loved one’s health, wellbeing, and your relationship.
Make sure you express to your partner that you love them, that you strongly care about them and their livelihood and that you want them to get help so they can become happier and live longer by your side. Express that you don’t want them to suffer health problems caused by alcohol abuse and that you want them to succeed at work or school, and live a long, fulfilling life. Approaching your partner’s addiction in this way can help your loved one see the severity of their problem and realize that going to alcohol rehab is their best option.
State the Facts
Here are some signs that you may need to point out to your partner:
- Has your partner experienced any serious problems related to alcohol use, such as being arrested for a DUI or being fired from their job?
- Has alcohol use replaced your partner’s favorite hobbies and interests?
- Has your partner suffered one or more alcohol-related health issues or medical problems since their drinking spiraled out of control?
- Are you falling behind on rent, mortgage, or other important bills because your partner is spending too much money on alcohol?
State the facts about your partner’s alcohol addiction without embellishing or making assumptions. Point out only what you know and have observed, and not what you may have heard from other people about your partner’s alcohol abuse. Facts don’t lie and can give you solid ground when it comes to helping your partner understand why they may need alcohol rehab treatment.
Discuss How Addiction is Affecting You
Though you may love and care for your partner, it’s important that you take care of yourself and your own well-being, too. It’s not fair that you should also have to keep suffering from the effects of alcohol addiction. Be open and honest with your partner about how their drinking is affecting you, and, if applicable, your children.
Here are some signs that their addiction may be affecting you:
- If you’re having to work extra hours to make up for your partner’s alcohol-related expenses
- If you’re constantly having to clean up after your partner after they’ve been drinking
- If you feel as though your partner is neglecting you and your children so they can spend more time using alcohol and recovering from its effects.
If any of these apply, point them out in your discussion. Your partner may not be fully aware of how their drinking problem is affecting the rest of the family and may feel more inclined to seek treatment.
Talk About Alcohol Rehab Options
Those who aren’t too familiar with alcohol rehab may think it involves a painful withdrawal from alcohol and multiple AA meetings. However, today’s alcohol rehab treatments are much safer, more fulfilling, and highly therapeutic. Many alcohol rehab centers (like https://www.theholisticsanctuary.com/holistic-rehab-centers/) offer a wide range of quality amenities and services like yoga and daily massage to help patients experience an enjoyable and long-lasting recovery.
Alcohol addiction treatment begins with alcohol detox, which is a service that safely manages and treats the physical symptoms of alcohol withdrawal. Alcohol detox allows your partner to withdraw from alcohol while being monitored and cared for by trained medical staff who use medications to relieve withdrawal symptoms. Your loved one will be supervised around the clock while in alcohol detox so complications like seizures can be prevented and/or addressed immediately.
After your partner recovers from alcohol dependence with alcohol detox, they’ll begin counseling and therapy in an alcohol rehab program. Treatment for alcohol withdrawal will involve teaching your partner skills that help them successfully manage and avoid triggers that cause them to drink. They’ll also uncover the root causes of their alcohol addiction, and be treated for co-occurring mental illnesses like anxiety, PTSD, and depression. Cognitive behavioral therapy, relapse prevention training, group therapy, and family therapy are just some therapies used at alcohol rehab to treat alcohol addiction.
If you are in the Pueblo, Colorado area and need help, check out Sunshine Behavioral Health.
Alcohol Rehab with Summer House
Summer House Detox Center offers alcohol detox in Florida and a range of alcohol rehab programs that can be customized specifically for your partner and anyone else who needs help fighting addiction. Summer House also offers daily gourmet meals, daily housekeeping services, acupuncture, Tai Chi, and many other amenities and services that can make your partner’s stay more relaxing and enjoyable. Call us today at 800-719-1090 to learn more about our available alcohol rehab programs and get started on the path to recovery.
Whether you are struggling with how to tell your partner you are an addict, or if you are trying to confront them because you think they are addicted to something. Speaking up is crucial. We are sometimes scared to act because we are afraid of how the other person might react. If you notice that your partner drinks a lot and you never really see them completely drunk, then they might be abusing another substance. Maybe it’s methamphetamine. Meth is a drug that can wake you up from a drunken state and make you look more normal in smaller doses. This is dangerous however and is a clear sign that the person needs help ASAP.
Similarly, opiate detox withdrawal symptoms can be extremely discomforting and severe at times which can manifest in negative feelings and behavior patterns.
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