Reply To: Boyfriend high functioning addict and alcohol abuser

#32778
paw_x
Participant

Hi Loulou,

I am in a similar situation to you in that it’s not quite as simple to just leave my partner as we’ve taken on a new house in the last year and he’s now admitted relapsing several times after many years of sobriety. However, mines has fully admitted what he’s done, knows he has a problem, and is now at NA meetings every day along with support from mental health. I did ask him to leave the family home as us being around each other during this time doesn’t help, I certainly needed space and time to heal and he needs to feel the consequences of what he’s done and what he might lose. He’s now at his parents house and trying his very best.

It doesn’t sound like your partner has realised his issues and part of that might be that he hasn’t really had any consequences for his own actions. While I might send my partner support it’s not without reminding him of the trauma he’s caused his family and that we might never recover from this. He lied to us all to put his addiction first, he cost us thousands, and the stress he put me through is horrific. Addicts will continue to manipulate you until they can’t get away with it anymore, he needs to know that this isn’t acceptable and that he needs to change. He won’t get there without first accepting he has a problem and so you need to put in place boundaries and put your foot down. You really need to put yourself and your child first. It’s up to him to fix his problem but it’s not up to you to look after him while he does that if he’s not safe to be in the house – it might do you both good for a bit of space if it helps him realise what he’s doing.

Good luck x

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