Drinking may have affected their schoolwork. You may know that they’ve missed classes or shirked studying plans because of a hangover. You might notice that their relationships with their family have suffered. Your partner may have tense relationships because of how they’ve acted drunk in the past. It’s also possible that your partner has gotten into legal trouble due to their drinking.
Has your partner ever negatively affected a loving relationship because of alcohol-fueled behavior? Have they ever had a relationship grow tense because a loved one believed your partner had an issue with alcohol? If so, does your partner continue to drink anyway?
When your partner drinks, are you often worried for their safety? Do you fear that your partner will start a fight or get into legal trouble when they drink excessively?
Have you noticed that your partner’s three drink average has gradually turned into an eight drink average? Do they spend a large sum every week at bars to keep up with their growing habit?
Withdrawals and hangovers are different, but similar in their symptoms. Hangovers are caused by dehydration and toxins in alcohol. They may cause headaches, nausea, thirst, dizziness, or many other potential symptoms. Withdrawals can look similar, but these symptoms persist past 24 hours.
Does your partner often plan to drink just one or two rounds, but then ends up intoxicated by the end of the evening? Does your partner make plans to reduce their drinking (for instance, by only drinking one night a week) but then go back on those plans?
Including hangovers, are your partner’s weekends almost totally dedicated to alcohol? If your partner wanted to make time in their schedule for a new activity, would they ever consider cutting out drinking to make time for it?
Does your partner jokingly call themselves an alcoholic? Does your partner make light of the symptoms of alcoholism by saying things like, “I said I wasn’t going to drink tonight, but let’s be honest, I probably will. ”
Have you ever caught your partner lying about their drinking habits? Have you or one of your partner’s loved ones ever expressed concern, only to have your partner get upset and deny the issue?
Have you ever known or suspected that your partner had been drinking by themselves? Do they find every excuse to drink, even at events where almost no one else is drinking?
Does your partner seem to use a desire to feel as an excuse for their drinking? Does your partner’s drinking seem to be addressing a deeper emotional problem that they’re facing?
Is it well known within your partner’s circle that they’re a heavy drinker? Do your partner’s friends and family make excuses for their drinking and related behavior? For instance, if your partner acted inappropriately at a family party due to alcohol, would his parents claim there was another issue to blame, like stress?
