What is a Functioning Alcoholic? Signs of High-Functioning Alcoholism

However, regardless of what it looks like on the outside, the root is still the same as other forms of alcohol use disorder, a chronic disease characterized by uncontrolled drinking. They can’t control drinking due to physical and emotional dependence on alcohol. It’s important to remove the stereotypical view many of us hold regarding alcoholics.

Signs Your Loved One is a Functioning Alcoholic?

• Co-Dependents Anonymous is a 12-step program for people who are trying to recover from a codependent relationship.
• Or, they get bombed every weekend but don’t skip a beat at their demanding job.
• “For example, you may notice your spouse drinking more beers at dinner, sleeping less and less, and increasingly on edge well before they start missing workdays,” Grawert adds.
• If the HFA is open to your concerns and is willing to seek help, he or she should also receive an assessment by a therapist or physician about what level of care may be appropriate.
• These treatment centers offer a lower level of care than inpatient centers, as people can continue living at home, working their jobs, etc.

Sometimes this means attending Al-Anon meetings, while other times, it means removing yourself from the situation. Try not to enable your alcoholic spouse by excusing their behavior or caring for them when hungover. You may begin to notice that a couple of beers after work has turned into a six-pack or even a case. As time goes on and tolerance increases, they may attempt to hide the growing problem, and a growing number of empty bottles or cans, from friends and family. Sarah Allen Benton, M.S., LMHC., LPC, is a licensed mental health counselor and author of Understanding the High-Functioning Alcoholic. Has your husband given up hobbies he once enjoyed to do activities that involve drinking?

• Codependency in relationships is when one person, such as an alcoholic husband or wife, has ongoing needs, and their partner finds purpose and self-worth in fulfilling their needs.
• The initial step involves focusing on your own health and emotional stability.
• 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.

Alcohol Rehab

We encourage all those struggling with substance use to seek professional help. If you or your spouse is struggling with alcohol abuse and want addiction recovery help, please call WhiteSands Alcohol and Drug Rehab. Our substance abuse specialists can help guide you on the best alcohol use disorder treatment and levels of care for you or your loved one.

• Your loved one might start showing symptoms such as tremors, shakes, or mood swings.
• They could also be constantly needing rides to and from places or have to be bailed out of jail.
• Alcoholism can take a devastating toll on a person’s physical health, emotional well-being, personal relationships and professional life.
• It can be emotionally taxing on the alcoholic spouse to deal with the alcoholic’s mood swings, lies, or excuses, while also covering for them and picking up their slack at taking care of the home.
• There can also be declines in their mental and overall health, especially if they’re not eating healthy diets or engaging in physical activity.

Why high-functioning alcoholism can be extremely dangerous

High-functioning alcoholics are an incredibly difficult subset of alcohol addiction to identify and address. It may take their spouses and loved ones years of observation before they make the connection. For them, it starts as a sneaking suspicion that grows as they notice alcohol use becomes more frequent. Approximately 2.7 million married couples in the United States are impacted by alcoholism due to an alcoholic partner.

If you are having difficulty reducing your alcohol intake, consider reaching out to Elite Home Detox. We work with you to build a custom plan towards sobriety, rather than the “one-size-fits-all” plans found in most clinic environments. When asked where they would like to eat or spend time, pay attention to how insistent they are that the setting has alcohol available.

Functional or high-functioning alcoholics do not fit this stereotype but often seem to have everything going for them. Their excessive drinking does not affect their ability to do well at work, and has good relationships with friends and family. They often think their heavy drinking is under control because it doesn’t affect their ability to thrive in life.

When in a relationship with a high-functioning alcoholic, you need to think of your own health and wellbeing above all else. Support groups Twelve-step program for friends and loved ones, such as the 12-step program Al-Anon, can help people navigate these relationships. Codependency in relationships is when one person, such as an alcoholic husband or wife, has ongoing needs, and their partner finds purpose and self-worth in fulfilling their needs.

If you told a therapist, “My husband is an alcohol abuser,” they might suggest using the CAGE questionnaire as a screening test for alcoholism. Chronic/severe alcoholism refers to people who have been drinking heavily for many years and are at risk of acute alcohol withdrawal syndrome if they stop drinking high functioning alcoholic husband cold turkey. Liver damage is the most talked about physical consequence and that is a concern almost immediately.

Recruit professional help

You may begin to feel isolated and alone, and that can be detrimental to your overall health. That is a signal that you, and your husband, need the hope that alcohol rehabilitation treatment can bring. Loved ones and friends of HFAs can also seek support for themselves in order to learn how best to navigate their relationship with the alcoholic in their life, to detach emotionally and to heal. Al-Anon is a free, anonymous national support for the friends and loved ones of alcoholics and ACOA is a free, anonymous national support specifically for adult children of alcoholic parents. The book Co-Dependent No More by Melody Beattie is a resource for the loved ones of alcoholics that is highly recommended by many therapists. In addition, attending individual therapy or even family therapy with the HFA can be effective.

All state-of-the-art components for treatment are available within the comfort of your home, and medical attention is on hand as needed. Depending on the severity of your spouse’s alcohol dependence, a round-the-clock, immersive detox program that residential treatment provides may be needed. Healthcare insurance is one of the most common ways to pay for alcoholism treatment. The amount of money insurance covers depends on the insurance company and what the health provider accepts.