What If Someone I Love Drinks too Much?

Anyone who has ever had someone in their life that drinks too much or is an alcoholic knows the pain and agony of dealing with that loved one. Questions you may be asking yourself may include: When should I step in, what should I say, or even, will they hate me? All of these questions are serious questions that will keep you up at night when worried about your significant other who drinks to much. With a good plan and some well thought out questions, you can make the intervention process a lot more comfortable.

How to tell if someone drinks to much.

1. If you are constantly asking yourself if your significant other drinks to much then they are probably drinking to much.
2. If your loved one has a significant mood change when they aren't able to drink this is a sure sign that they may be addicted to alcohol. I noticed in a loved one that when they were not able to drink their moods would swing dramatically.
3. If your loved one can't control how much they drink then they are definitely drinking to much. This may sound like a no brainer, but sometimes this can be hard to tell. Some people enjoy getting drunk. If your loved one can't stand getting drunk but finds themselves constantly drinking to much then this is a huge problem that needs a quick and swift intervention.

What to say to your significant other who drinks to much.

Intervention can be tough but it is a necessary step when you have finally determined that your loved one is drinking to much. Here are some suggestions for how to intervene with your significant other.

1. Ask your loved one if they recognize they have a problem. Brutal honesty is best when dealing when dealing with an intervention. Try and ask your loved one if they know others who have a drinking problem and see if they see any similarities between themselves and their friend.

2. If your significant other denies having a problem, ask them to give up drinking for a period of time. Anyone who truly doesn't have a problem with drinking will be able to do this easily. If your loved one refuses to do this encourage them to see that they have a problem.

3. If your significant other who drinks to much decides to stay away from alcohol for a period of time for your benefit make sure and have your loved one identify markers that will identify if they drink to much. Mood changes are a large indicator of dependency.

4. Propose a plan and offer to stick by your significant other to help them get past their problem. Only you can identify the plan, but it needs to involve what to do when you identify a drinking problem and how you are going to deal with the drinking problem.

5. Express your fears and anxieties to your loved one, and allow your loved one to do the same.

6. Get permission from your loved one to allow you to record how they act when they are drinking. Most alcoholics have no idea how they act when drunk. When I showed a family member a video of themselves drunk it was very convincing to them that they indeed had a problem.

7. If you decide that your significant other is not drinking to much right now, ask your loved one how they want an intervention to occur in the future. And secure their permission to do so.

Dealing with a loved one who drinks to much can be excruciating. Put a plan together and consult other loved ones who can help you identify and relate to your loved one and you will find the process will go much smoother.