So often, books and treatment are focused on the partner with the Substance Use Disorder (SUD) while spouses receive significantly less support but are equally in distress. This particular holiday season may pose greater challenges than those in the past for individuals in early sobriety. A 2020 review found that 12-step groups high functioning alcoholic could even be more effective at increasing abstinence rates than other forms of treatment. Mindfulness may also help address depression and trauma conditions that co-occur with AUD. Exploring your values and committing to a life path that is meaningful to you is also part of ACT, and this might help you avoid a recurrence.
What Types of Responsibilities can a High-Functioning Alcoholic Maintain?
Twelve-step groups, like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and other support approaches, can provide solidarity and emotional support through AUD recovery. Motivational interviewing is an evidence-based method that can help people build motivation to reduce or abstain from alcohol. It’s effective because motivation and active participation are often key in AUD recovery. The best cure for codependency is a strong, healthy sense of self.
Is Alcohol Use Disorder a Mental Illness?
Recovered.org provides an anonymous online evaluation tool to check if drinking has become problematic and provides further resources for help and support. The NIAAA offers a range of assessment tools and strategies to help people understand their drinking patterns, reduce their drinking, or quit completely. Due to some people’s ability to mask their AUD, it is difficult to find research on those that are high functioning. In addition, there were almost 50,000 other alcohol-related deaths.
Stage 1: Early-Stage Alcoholism
According to the NIAAA, the majority of people with an AUD can benefit from some form of treatment. This is why psychological counseling, such as talk therapy, is important if you’re recovering from AUD. This can help you learn new coping skills so you can turn to other behaviors instead of drinking in order to live a healthier life. If people with high functioning AUD do not get treatment, the disease may progress to a point at which their dependence significantly impacts their day-to-day lives.
- In many cases, their addiction is taking a gradual toll, but because they have good jobs, perform the expected tasks of daily life, and avoid legal problems, the problematic effects are not yet observable.
- Although an intervention can take many forms, many of these meetings open with each participant stating how the alcoholic’s behavior has harmed or disappointed them.
- They may take steps to avoid the person while they are drinking, or they may experience feelings of guilt, shame, or self-blame.
