It is totally healthy to have a drink every now and then; the reverse is the case when consumption becomes as regular as the blinking of the eyes. It has been observed that alcoholism causes a whole lot of problems for its victims. These problems are not particular to health alone but also include other aspects of a person’s life. For one, it could ruin a promising relationship.
Those who get tipsy lose a part of themselves. Their state of mind is altered and the capacity to accommodate reasonable thinking is almost completely shut out. Hence, the rationale behind their odd behavior. This behavior could scare off one’s partner depending on how committed such a partner is. However, your boyfriend’s drinking habit may be carefully kept from you but there are ways to find out for sure.
Early detection of such conditions is key to ensuring recovery and reduced complications. For this reason, we have come up with a list of symptoms of alcoholism to look out for. If he is indeed alcoholic, there are ways to tackle the problem which are also included. And finally, for proper awareness of the dangers of alcoholism are a few consequences to be wary of.
Symptoms of alcoholism
Does he take one too many drinks to get high? If he does that regularly then he is an alcoholic. Alcoholics don’t care about how many shots they’ve taken, they just want to keep going till the world becomes a stage and they are the only actors. Observe your boyfriend, count how many times he has drunk alcohol in the past week or month and how many times he got drunk. If the numbers don’t differ then something is up.
Also, drinking in the morning is not exactly a widespread practice. Perhaps it’s because that’s the time to go out and work with a level head. And then at night to cool off with a bottle or two. So if you notice a constant preference for strong wine in the morning rather than tea or coffee, then you might be staring at an alcoholic.
Drinking alone is not necessarily a reason to assume he is an alcoholic but a constant repetition of this action is. Most alcohol consumers prefer to share with friends over some meal amidst heightened discussions or arguments. A lone drinker focuses totally on the drink and nothing else.
Surely, hangovers cannot be escaped as an alcoholic. The more one consumes the more one becomes susceptible to this illness. This could affect an individual’s overall performance. Mood swings are another follow-up condition to look out for. Feeling good now, and bad few minutes later could be a red flag.
How to help him
If domestic violence is involved then you should think of helping yourself first. As mentioned earlier, alcoholics lose a part of themselves and act strangely even to the ones they care about. So if you get beaten occasionally or snubbed for being a concerned girlfriend, perhaps it’s time to take a walk and give him space. You can return to him with someone that can help when he is receptive.
Getting help is also crucial especially if you don’t know what to do. It may be his friends, family, a doctor, or even a shrink. With any or all of these people around, he may begin to come to terms with his addiction leading to resolve to hang up the boots.
During the entire process or time, refrain from judging him. Most times, people drink and get addicted for a reason; perhaps they lost a loved one, lost a contract, made a huge mistake, wronged someone; it might just be any of this. Standing beside him the entire time would mean a lot to him.
I can assert that everybody has done one thing another without knowing the consequences of such. On learning about it, however, the change was implemented. The same thing applies here. Some alcoholics either do not know the implications of their addiction or have not had someone close fill them in. There is a difference between hearing it on TV or reading about it in a paper and hearing it from you, his girlfriend. You have the emotional arsenal at your disposal…use it.
Here are some of the consequences you should let him know…
There is an increased risk of various kinds of cancers and we all know how dangerous this disease is. Cancer is no condition to play with, inform him about different kinds of cancer and let him know its ultimate strike.
The brain could also be affected seriously leading to permanent brain damage. The brain is the intellectual powerhouse of the body and if this is gone, then the body is as good as dead. Tell him he could run mad and begin to rummage through dustbins everywhere. Paint a picture that he would not like to be in.
Other conditions associated with alcoholism include insomnia, nerve damage, poor nutrition, high blood pressure, etc. But most importantly, let him know that he could lose you. Use your relationship to get across to him. There is a better chance that he’ll budge considering the stakes.
In all, we implore you to not go anti-alcohol consumption. Actually, it is good for the body. Just help try to manage how much of it he consumes. And if things begin to get out of hand, you know what to do.