If you’re asking yourself, “Is my wife an alcoholic?” you’re probably seeing concerning changes in her behavior, drinking habits, or overall well-being. You may have noticed an uptick in your spouse’s drinking, or erratic changes in their mood or behavior. What started as a few glasses of wine with dinner may have turned into a bottle every night. They may seem distant, foggy, or irritable.
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a complex and progressive condition that can significantly affect not only the individual struggling with alcohol addiction, but also their relationships and loved ones. It can often be hard to determine if your spouse’s drinking has crossed the line from social drinking to alcohol abuse, so understanding the signs and symptoms is the first step in addressing the issue.
Alcohol abuse and addiction are more than just habits—they’re medical conditions that can co-occur with mental health disorders, such as anxiety or depression. In many cases, people struggling with alcohol use may be self-medicating underlying mental health struggles, which only makes the problem worse. If your wife has been struggling with alcohol use, whether through excessive drinking or an inability to stop drinking, it could be a sign of alcohol addiction. Understanding the signs of alcohol abuse and seeking help for your alcoholic spouse is essential, not only for her well-being but also for the health of your relationship.
Luckily, there are many treatment options available for individuals dealing with alcohol use, from inpatient alcohol treatment to outpatient care. If you’re noticing patterns of alcohol abuse or suspect your wife may have alcohol use disorder, intervene early. Finding the right addiction treatment can help her address both the physical and emotional aspects of alcohol abuse.
Symptoms of Alcoholism
Here are a few signs that your wife may abuse alcohol:
-
They can’t seem to enjoy social events without alcohol.
-
They drink to relieve stress.
-
They drink to excess without becoming intoxicated.
-
Their personality changes when they drink.
-
They get irritable when they abstain from drinking.
-
They’ve had even minor legal, work, or personal problems resulting from drinking.
-
They have a family history of alcoholism, making them more at risk.
When alcohol abuse reaches a certain point, the drinker becomes physically dependent on alcohol to function. They may attempt to limit their own consumption of alcohol unsuccessfully, or keep drinking despite the negative impacts it has on their life. By this point, it’s unlikely that they’ll voluntarily go without, but if they do, it could result in extremely dangerous withdrawal symptoms.
What Are the Symptoms of Alcohol Withdrawals?
After drinking large amounts of alcohol, the brain becomes accustomed to the sedative effects of the substance. When that sedative is removed, the brain backfires and overcompensates, resulting in extremely unpleasant and often dangerous withdrawals:
-
Sweating
-
Rapid heart rate
-
Hand tremors
-
Nausea and vomiting
-
Insomnia
-
Hallucinations
-
Anxiety
-
Seizures and death
Medically supervised detoxification programs are available to help wean those with physical alcohol dependencies off the substance in a safe, calculated manner.
If you believe your spouse is experiencing these withdrawal symptoms after going without a drink for too long, it may be time to have a talk.
How to Talk to Your Wife About Alcoholism
It’s only natural for you to express your concern about your spouse’s drinking, but it’s common for people to lash out when confronted. That’s why it’s crucial that you speak first and foremost from a place of love and caring.
Understanding and patience are crucial when confronting someone with their addiction. Acknowledge the difficulty of quitting, as well as the harmful effects alcohol has on the body. Alcohol dulls the senses, interferes with your quality of sleep, and harms the heart, brain, and liver. It may be worth repeating some of the times her drinking has negatively affected her life, or your relationship. Family therapy may also be a good option to explore.
Assess your options. For some, this conversation may be enough. For others, a treatment program might be a better fit. Casa Capri Recovery is a treatment center for women, by women. If you need help, want to talk, or have questions, give us a call at (844) 593-8020 or contact us via our website today. If we aren’t a perfect fit for you, we will find someone who is.
Relationships, like life, are always changing. People change over the course of their lives, hopefully for the better, but stressors like work, loss, or existing trauma accumulate whether we like it or not. Finding healthy outlets for that stress is a challenge, especially when alcohol is so prevalent in our culture.
How Does Alcohol Affect Women?
Women face higher risks than men when consuming alcohol due to many physical differences, most of all the difference in body weight. This increases the risk of developing a dependency on alcohol, and that alcohol takes a greater toll on a woman’s body than a man’s. High-risk, female drinkers are also more at risk for diseases of the heart, liver, brain, and breast cancer.
How Many Women in the U.S. are Alcoholics?
Over 5 million American women over the age of 18 have an alcohol use disorder, while 1 in every 2 women have had a drink in the past month. Many of these women admit to binge drinking (having over 12 drinks per week).
Early Warning Signs of Alcoholism
Here are a few more signs that your wife may need substance abuse treatment:
-
They can’t seem to enjoy social events without alcohol.
-
They drink to relieve stress.
-
They drink to excess without becoming intoxicated.
-
Their personality changes when they drink.
-
They get irritable when they abstain from drinking.
-
They’ve had even minor legal, work, or personal problems resulting from drinking.
-
They have a family history of alcoholism, making them more at risk
When alcohol abuse reaches a certain point, the drinker becomes physically dependent on alcohol to function. They may attempt to limit their own consumption of alcohol unsuccessfully, or keep drinking despite the negative impacts it has on their life. By this point, it’s unlikely that they’ll voluntarily go without, but if they do, it could result in extremely dangerous withdrawal symptoms.
Medically supervised detoxification programs are available to help wean those with physical alcohol dependencies off the substance safely.
If you believe your spouse is experiencing these withdrawal symptoms after going without a drink for too long, or if they simply can’t stop drinking, it may be time to have a talk. But you don’t have to do it alone. Reach out to us at Casa Capri today at (844) 593-8020 or contact us via our website today, and we’ll walk you through the process of getting your wife the help she needs.
