COPING WITH FRUSTRATION

One of the things that happens when living with an alcohol abuser is that we get to feel FRUSTRATED:

• Frustrated that the drinking continues despite all we do
• Frustrated because the drinker does not seem to want to stop drinking
• Frustrated that we can do nothing ....

And all of this is what naturally happens to us, living with a drinker.

What can we do?

One thing to think about is : ARE  WE  EXPECTING  TOO  MUCH?

Are we expecting the drinker to feel horrified - as we perhaps are - at all the things that now happen?

Are we expecting the drinker to see what they are doing to themselves - and everyone around them - and really try to stop drinking?

Maybe we are expecting too much from the drinker - they are on a long journey to recovery even if they are trying to stop right now. Their mind is under the control of a cunning, powerful and baffling disease, caused by the excessive drinking of alcohol.

Maybe we should reconsider our expectations - are we expecting too much too soon?

Think about letting go of any expectation you may have that the drinker MUST soon stop.  It probably will not happen, until they start to reach out for help.

It has been said that:  Building up our expectations simply sets us up for disappointments and frustration.

Instead, try to accept where the drinker now is, good or bad, and start to think about YOURSELF.

Think about getting help for yourself - the drinker needs AA and nothing much can happen until they decide to go to AA - forcing them to go will not work - they have to be willing to go to AA.

Concentrate more on YOUR  NEEDS and what help you can get. Check out the HELP PAGES.