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Drinking in Front of an Alcoholic Loved One. (Is that okay?)

7 Jun 2023 · 1 min

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In this video, Amber Hollingsworth addresses the nuanced question of whether it is appropriate to drink in front of a loved one who struggles with alcoholism. She emphasizes that the answer depends on the individual's stage of change—whether they recognize their problem and are actively working on it. For those who deny having an alcohol issue and continue drinking, Hollingsworth explains how a partner’s drinking behavior can be interpreted: continuing to drink may normalize the habit, while abruptly stopping can be perceived as a criticism or “dig.” She offers guidance on how to support someone who is not yet ready to acknowledge their problem, focusing on communication, setting personal boundaries, and understanding the potential impact of one’s own alcohol consumption on the loved one's perception and recovery journey.

Chapters

Is it okay to drink in front of my alcoholic loved one? And the answer to that depends on where they're at in their stages of change. If your loved one is alcoholic, but they're not working on that, and maybe they don't even think they have alcoholism, how do you support them? And specifically, do you drink in front of them? If that person who has an alcohol problem knows that you think they have an alcohol problem and they're still actively drinking, if you normally drink in front of them and then you stop drinking in front of them, they're going to see that as a dig.