By Mike LoverdeOriginal Source: family-intervention.comAlcoholism is one of the most dangerous addictions. Prolonged alcohol abuse takes a very heavy toll on the body and mind and can easily disrupt every aspect of a person’s life. When a spouse sees his or her partner struggling with alcoholism it can create a kind of cognitive dissonance that can potentially make the issue last longer than it should; on the one hand, a spouse loves and supports his or her partner and wants him or her to be happy, but on the other hand, the spouse living with an alcoholic partner likely experiences a wide range of negative effects from the other spouse’s alcoholism.
Alcoholism progresses very rapidly. While some addictions can take years to reach critical levels, alcoholism can progress to life-threatening stages within a few months of heavy, consistent alcohol abuse. Some people manage to maintain a semblance of normalcy while nursing a serious alcohol habit, and these “high-functioning alcoholics” quickly discover this is not a tenable lifestyle. Eventually, a person struggling with alcoholism will need to confront the effects the habit has had on his or her life, especially when it comes to his or her marriage.
Spouses of alcoholics struggle in various ways...click here to continue reading
