According to data available from the National Center for Health Statistics, approximately 79 million people across the country have exposure to alcohol addiction, which includes a married partner. Not only is alcoholism a health problem, but it is considered a social one as well.
That means it is critical to learn tips for being quarantined with an alcoholic spouse. We are all living in uncertain times, and, as a result, we are finding ourselves living a new normal, which includes undergoing quarantine.
The Importance of Learning Tips for Being Quarantined with an Alcoholic Spouse
Before being quarantined with an alcoholic spouse, your lives most certainly looked a lot different. Before your days were filled with work schedules, keeping up with your children’s’ extracurricular activities, and maintaining your own social calendar. You might not have noticed how much your spouse was drinking during that flurry of activity. Or your spouse might be in recovery and, during the quarantine, is having difficulty fighting temptations.
No matter the situation, you are now seeing your spouse 24/7 and are seeing the impact of their alcoholism under a closer microscope. Not only is that distressing, but it could also lead to concerns about how their alcoholism could impact your relationship on a different level. Previously, you both had other distractions to prevent you from obsessing too much about what is happening. However, now you must face it daily.
Tips for Being Quarantined with an Alcoholic Spouse
We learn from a study published in the Industrial Psychiatry Journal that the most significant issue spouses report is emotional problems linking to their partner’s alcoholism. That leads to a real need for learning positive ways to be quarantined with an alcoholic spouse. Here are some tips to help your spouse maintain sobriety and resist temptation:
- No drinking while working: In a typical work environment, no one is allowed to drink. Therefore, when you set up your workspaces at home, there should be no alcohol
- Do not include it on your shopping list: There is no need to have alcohol with meals or as any other part of your diet, so it should not be on your shopping list
- Have conversations with children: Discuss with your children the dangers of drinking, especially during a quarantine
- Focus on health and nutrition: Work with your spouse regarding a healthy and nutritious lifestyle that includes exercise routines and new foods
- Set boundaries: If you believe others are negatively influencing your spouse’s recovery, do not be afraid to set boundaries throughout the quarantine
Identifying Potential Triggers
When you are quarantined with an alcoholic spouse, the last thing you want to do is make things more challenging for them. That is why you must understand what their possible relapse triggers could be and how to avoid them. Some examples of these triggers include:
- Your spouse should avoid getting too angry, hungry, lonely, or tired
- The invasion of negative emotions or thought processes
- High-stress situations, including financial uncertainties
- If your spouse is over-confident, complacency could lead to relapsing
- Mental illnesses, including anxiety disorders and depression
- Relationship issues, including with you or your children
- Reminiscing about past times where alcohol was involved
While identifying and understanding what triggers could cause a relapse are good preventative measures, be aware that the risk is always going to be there. Even if a slip-up occurs, that does not mean your spouse is doomed to alcoholism forever.
Reach Out to Promises Treatment Centers
Are you worried about being quarantined with an alcoholic spouse? Do you worry that there are too many triggers? No one should have to experience these worries alone. In addition to alcohol addiction, Promises also has treatment programs for other substances. Some of these programs include:
- Opiate Addiction Treatment Center
- Marijuana Addiction Treatment Center
- Cocaine Addiction Treatment Center
- Meth Addiction Treatment Center
Contact 1.713.528.3709 to learn about how we can support you through these uncertain times.
