I Wish I Had Recognized the Signs of Alcoholism!

Do you suspect that your wife’s behavior is showing signs of alcoholism? It’s a misconception that those struggling with an alcohol use disorder leave a path of empty bottles in their wakes. Instead, they frequently hide their drinking and dispose of “evidence” before you can find it. However, there are other symptoms you can look for.

The Signs of Alcoholism Come in Stages

Just as there are different levels of addiction, there are also varying levels of an alcohol use disorder. Someone at the beginning of the disorder engages in bouts of binge drinking. You’ll notice that every time she goes out, she’ll likely drink too much.

If your wife’s been drinking for a while, the addiction takes on a chronic form. She may get adept at hiding alcohol by putting it in different containers. Even so, there’ll be consequences because of her drinking. She misses appointments, forgets to pick up the children, or falls asleep with dinner in the oven.

Her job performance may go down, or she might even lose her job. At this stage, you’ll notice that these kinds of situations become everyone else’s fault. She may engage in unsafe behavior or get tickets because of her driving. There may be arguments in the home that she doesn’t remember the next day.

What Happens if You Do Nothing?

If you decide to ignore the signs of alcoholism, your wife may suffer the physical consequences that the disease brings. Examples include stomach and liver diseases, kidney problems, loose stools, and dehydration. As the disorder progresses, she may kill someone while driving drunk. Her health deteriorates further to include heart problems, a low-functioning immune system, and an increased cancer risk.

Looking the other way solves nothing. Getting her help in an alcohol rehab for women can turn things around. It’s interesting to note that recovery is possible at every stage of drinking. While some physical ailments may linger and require additional medical attention, stopping the alcohol abuse is the first step.

Choosing a Woman’s Drug and Alcohol Rehab Program

Select a facility that offers a gender-specific treatment option. Doing so ensures that your wife receives the treatment she needs. It allows therapists to customize modalities specifically for her. Examples include:

• An inpatient program focused on healing and recovery away from stressors
• Group therapy encourages her to learn from others’ experiences and share hers
• Mindfulness-based treatment approaches her recovery from a whole-person perspective
• Family therapy makes it possible to bring you in as well as others who’ve been damaged by her drinking
• Dual diagnosis treatment looks for underlying mental health conditions that may cause or worsen addictive tendencies

If you believe that you’ve seen the signs of alcoholism in your wife’s behavior, get her help before it’s too late, starting with alcohol detox. At Beaches Recovery, friendly therapists gladly discuss your concerns and answer additional questions. Dial 866.605.0532 today. You don’t have to do this alone.