My Partner Comes Home Drunk Almost Every Evening, Now What?

When we are in a relationship we have certain expectations of each other and ideals of what we want our relationships to be like. Have you noticed that your partner is reaching for alcohol to deal with the stressors in their life? A sudden change in behavior can be an indication of a deeper problem.

Lancaster is filled with bars, distilleries and restaurants - making it tempting for some people to have a drink, or two .... or more.

If you feel like his drinking has gone out of control and that it’s negatively influencing your relationship, try the following:

Schedule Alone Time

This might feel like the last thing your significant other needs, but scheduling out time for just the two of you will create a platform for honesty and vulnerability. Instead of making them feel forced or tricked into the situation, allow them to choose the day and time for your date.

Create an After Work Schedule

Meeting friends for drinks after work can easily become a habit that your partner doesn’t even think about twice. Staying out of drinks after work could also be part of the company culture. That’s why it could help to make other plans for after work. Tuesday’s could be movie night, or you could book a class at the gym on Wednesdays. That way he/she can have an excuse for after work drinks.

Talk Without Judgement

It’s one thing to have a drink or two after work, but another if your partner comes home drunk most of those evenings. See if you can discuss the situation with them. Ask them if they think there might be an underlying reason or whether they would say that they have a problem.

Be curious instead of judgemental and critical. The last thing you want to do is make them feel misunderstood which could cause them to reach to alcohol even more because no-one understands him/her.

Set New Goals and Expectations

Maybe you’ve both lost sight of the bigger goals that you want to achieve. This could be a good time to revisit those dreams and goals and help each other create a plan to achieve them. Find a way to feel like a team again, and create ‘better’ scenarios for your partner than drinking their problems away.