Life with an alcoholic at Christmas
When too much merry isn’t merry
Most people think of Christmas as a time of joy, love, and being merry, yet, for many of you, it feels like walking a tightrope. Living with someone who struggles with alcohol can make the holidays feel anything but merry.
I want you to know that I genuinely get it. Hundreds of you in my online Rebuild Your Life Group understand this.
It might be a season of giving; you have come to dread it because of the predictable unpredictability of your partner’s drinking. We can all have some compassion for those who have an alcohol dependence. But, for those who live with them and love them, the sheer unpredictability of life over the years, especially leading up to Christmas, is exhausting.
The constant alertness, scanning for the slightest changes in mood or personality, making excuses for their behaviour and aborted plans, having to turn up to social events without them. The moments when the person you love transforms after a few drinks—leaving you to deal with the day-to-day responsibilities, feeling as though you’re carrying the world’s weight on your shoulders. You so desperately want your children and grandchildren to be free of the drama that can spring up in a heartbeat.
Worrying about how their parent’s drinking is affecting them. Or you find yourself replaying scenarios in your mind, wondering, with the ghosts of Christmas past, How you might have handled it. Your worry and tension have a considerable impact, and there is no peace or joy in it.
You feel like you’ve had enough of it.
Perhaps you’ve asked yourself this painful question: Am I doing the right thing by staying?
I understand the fear that grips you when they’ve been drinking and are convinced that they are fit to drive. Or it’s gone midnight, and they haven’t come home.
Many of you know the exhaustion of feeling like your life is spiralling out of control while you try to keep it all together for the sake of your family.
You’re not alone. And while it’s hard to see a way through, it doesn’t have to be this way.
I’ve been busy writing books about situations like yours that come straight from the heart. One is titled “Can You Mend It Before You End It? Handbook” and another is “Moving On From Life with an Alcoholic.” For those whose mental and emotional state can’t take it anymore.
You stay for the children’s sake, but they are being affected and resent your inability to resolve matters. The books are due for release in the New Year, but you can take the first step toward clarity and strength now. I’m offering the first chapter of my “Can You Mend It Before You End It? Handbook” book as a free resource.
This chapter can be a lifeline to help you see your situation more clearly because I know your nervous system can be shot from the sheer tension of it all and worry about the future.
There are all the bills to be paid at the beginning of the year, and it costs money to feed any addiction.
This Christmas, give yourself permission to consider your well-being, needs, and future. Your decisions, small or big, matter. Taking even one step toward better understanding your situation can change everything.
If you’re ready to take that step, you can download the first chapter of my book by clicking the link.
It’s my gift to you from someone who truly understands what you’re going through.
Even at Christmas, you deserve to feel safe, supported, and hopeful. Let this be the moment you choose you.
Thank you for being here; you can join the Rebuild Your Life Group here.
Looking for an interesting new book to help you navigate an important time in your life? Follow the links below to find the right e-Book for you!