5 Signs Of Alcoholism In Your Spouse

Medically Reviewed by Johnelle Smith, M.D. on March 27, 2020

View a list of 5 warning signs of alcoholism in your spouse to help recognize the symptoms of alcohol abuse and how to help seek treatment if necessary.

5 Signs Of Alcohol Abuse In Your Spouse

According to research by the University of Buffalo, heavy alcohol use by either spouse results in less satisfaction in a marriage. Interestingly enough, when both spouses drink heavily, the level of satisfaction goes up, but the rate of violent and aggressive acts between both partners increases dramatically.

Some believe that alcohol is a key factor in many cases of domestic abuse. Sometimes, one spouse might not be sure about whether their partner has a drinking problem, though. It helps to know the following five signs of alcoholism in your spouse to look out for:

1. Needing To Drink More To Get The Same Effect (Tolerance)

Tolerance is one of the signs of alcoholism in your spouse because it means they have been drinking a substantial amount of alcohol so long that their body has physically adjusted to its constant presence. It now takes more of the substance just for them to start to feel its effects.

The time that it takes for someone to build up a tolerance to alcohol will vary depending on their age, weight, sex, and any health disorders they may have. The warning signs of alcoholism in a woman might show when one drink a day starts to turn into four or more alcoholic beverages in a short period of time. For a man, it could mean that they are consuming much more than this.

2. Blacking Out Often

In order for a person to blackout from intoxication, they have to have a blood alcohol content of 0.15, which is almost double the limit that is allowed by the law for a person to be able to drive safely.

Many people who want to know the signs of alcoholism in a spouse don’t realize that blacking out doesn’t necessarily mean their spouse will become unconscious when it occurs.

Blacking out from drinking too much causes part of the brain to stop processing information as well as it normally does. While your spouse might carry on a conversation or perform other activities, they most likely won’t remember any of it the next day.

3. Spending A Significant Amount Of Time Recovering Or Hungover

Spending too much time recovering from heavy alcohol use on a regular basis is another one of the signs of alcoholism in your spouse. When this happens, it means they are consistently drinking until they vomit.

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If this happens too often, it could result in alcohol poisoning or physical dependency issues because the body will begin to adapt to the central nervous system depressant.

4. Neglecting Work, School, Or Other Responsibilities

When someone asks about the signs of alcoholism in a spouse and whether they need to look into rehab programs, they often already suspect that something is wrong. They may have noticed a change in the way their husband or wife acts on a daily basis.

Perhaps their grades have dropped and they are usually on the honor roll each semester. Or, they stopped going to their job when they are normally a responsible, hard-working person. Chores around the house and time with their children and other loved ones might also be avoided.

5. Experiencing Withdrawal Symptoms When Not Drinking

The most obvious of all of the warning signs of alcoholism to look out for is the presence of withdrawal symptoms when someone isn’t drinking alcohol. At first, the symptoms might not be that bad, so they may try to cope on their own by hiding how bad they feel.

But if your spouse has been drinking heavily for a long time, they could end up getting very sick if they don’t get to one of the local rehab programs that treat alcohol use disorders.

Rehab programs can help monitor their condition to ensure they can get the medical care they need if they start to develop seizures, delirium, tremors, headaches, and other dangerous symptoms while they go through the detoxification process.

Get Help For A Loved One For Alcohol Abuse

Rehab programs are essential for helping a loved one who has an alcohol use disorder because they can offer the personalized attention and care that they need while they safely detox.

Alcohol rehab programs can also teach addicted individuals better coping methods that they can use to handle their emotions instead of drinking when they feel sad or angry about something.

If your spouse has any of the above mentioned signs of alcoholism, it is best to get them admitted to an alcohol rehab facility as soon as possible. For more information on how to begin the process, be sure to contact one of our treatment specialists.

This page does not provide medical advice. See more

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Medically Reviewed by
Johnelle Smith, M.D. on March 27, 2020
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