Toxic Relationships • janelunartiger • 2d ago

My 39-year-old partner, who is 38, is struggling with alcoholism. I feel like he’s not the person I married, and I'm uncertain about what to do next.

I married my husband seven years ago, and when we first started dating, he was incredibly dedicated to his sobriety, having been sober for over four years. We were very active together, and it never posed a problem for us. I admired his strength in overcoming his past struggles. However, during the Covid pandemic, his father passed away, and he began drinking again. It caught me off guard, but he was initially moderate about it, as the loss hit him hard—he fell into a deep depression. After the birth of our second child, I felt we should relocate closer to family for support. That was two years ago, and since then, things have become increasingly difficult. He resents me for the move and brings it up constantly. I've worked hard to create a comfortable home, advanced in my career, and recently landed my dream job that pays well—I'm now responsible for most of our expenses, including healthcare, mortgage, and daycare. Meanwhile, he seems unmotivated to progress in his own career or engage in much at all. He works from home and spends his days drinking. When he’s not working, he’s glued to his phone and drinking, often avoiding meaningful conversations. He tends to lose interest or walk away while I'm speaking, claiming it’s due to his ADHD. We've talked many times about his drinking, but his responses vary from acknowledging the issue and promising to work on it to insisting that I’m overreacting. Our children, aged five and two, are starting to notice his behavior. He often gets frustrated with them and has outbursts, which is concerning; I’ve even seen my five-year-old yelling at his brother in a similar way. Other troubling behaviors have also caught my attention. I’m feeling utterly exhausted. It seems like I’m shouldering all the responsibilities, and it no longer feels like a partnership. I’m becoming someone I don't recognize—filled with nagging and anger. I’m at a loss about what to do, and I feel like I’m on the verge of giving up. This isn’t the man I married, and I fear I may never get him back.


💬


No comments yet.

Be the first to reply!