25 Signs That Your Partner Has A Drinking Problem

You think that your partner has a drinking problem. You have tried to discuss his drinking with him but every time you bring up the issue you end up in a screaming match where he denies it and you end up feeling guilty. Firstly let us say that if you are asking the question and are arguing about the issue then there is a problem about alcohol affecting your relationship and you do not need to look any further for an answer.

However if you do still need some answers and signs then below we have provided some simple straightforward pointers to answer your question. If he is doing some or all of these then probably he has an alcohol problem. The more of them he is doing the more likely he has a problem. So in no particular order, he probably has an alcohol problem if he:-

• 1. Smells of alcohol, all or much of the time
• 2. Hides his bottles
• 3. Sneaks drinks
• 4. Lies about how much he drinks
• 5. Is drinking more than he used to
• 6. Is drinking more often
• 7. Drinks earlier in the day than he used to
• 8. Puts drinking before spending time with you
• 9. Takes days off work more often
• 10. Is hung over in the mornings more often
• 11. Has mood swings if he is not drinking
• 12. Loses interest in sex
• 13. Behaves inappropriately in social gatherings
• 14. Organises outings around drinking
• 15. Tries to downplay the amount and impact of his drinking
• 16. Sometimes uncharacteristically offers to go shopping
• 17. Increases the frequency of meetings with his friends in the bar
• 18. Frequently comes back later than planned / even skips meals altogether
• 19. Often shows obvious signs of drinking, slurring his speech and unsteady on his feet
• 20. Forgets appointments
• 21. Breaks promises and does not keep commitments
• 22. Picks more fights or is more aggressive than before
• 23. Is more defensive when alcohol is mentioned
• 24. Falls asleep in inappropriate and sometimes dangerous circumstances
• 25. Gets drunk a lot

None of these signs alone, apart from number 25, is a significant sign that he has a drink problem. However the more of these signs he is showing the more likely it is that he has a problem.

If you want to find out more about alcohol problems and how you might tackle them then visit Bottled Up.