by Linda
(Ohio)
I was married to an abusive alcoholic and have been divorced for almost 20 years.
I swore to myself I would never get involved with anyone with a drinking problem.
Then, it happened, I met an amazing man. Loves his family, has a job. Life was good until we went on our first overnight trip.
It was at this time I was told that he was not only a former drug addict, but an alcoholic. I was stunned.
He said he has not had drugs in over 20 years, a sigh of relief, and, his company does random drug tests which he has passed.
But, he is a binge drinker. I told him matter of fact of my ex-husband and he told me he would not hurt me, but, on weekends when not working he does drink quite heavily. He works seven days a week for three weeks to have a weekend off. He does not drink when working .
Should I be concerned? This type of binge drinking a form of being an alcoholic?
I am a Mental Health Counselor who is licensed in both New York (LMHC) and North Carolina (LCMHC). I have been working in the Mental Health field since 2015. I have worked in a residential setting, an outpatient program and an inpatient addictions program. I began working in Long Island, NY and then in Guelph, Ontario after moving to Canada. I have since settled in North Carolina. I have experience working with various stages of addiction, depression, anxiety, mood disorders, trauma, stages of life concerns and relationship concerns.
I tend to use a person-centered approach which simply means that I meet you where you are and work collaboratively to help you identify and work towards accomplishing goals. I will often pull from CBT when appropriate. I do encourage use of mindfulness and meditation and practice these skills in my own life. I believe in treating everyone with respect, sensitivity and compassion.
I recognize that reaching out for help is hard and commend you for taking the first step. We have professionals available who would be happy to help you move closer to reaching your goals related to your drinking concerns. You may reach these professionals by calling 877-322-2694.