Alcoholics and the Double Life – What It All Means
The double life is a staple of the lives of many alcoholics. High-functioning alcoholics in particular have a real problem with leading double lives. They live a perfectly normal life and have a job but, at the same time, they are hiding a darker part of their characters. Rehab clinics spend hours breaking down the barriers that have been established over the course of many years. For people on the outside, understanding the double life is difficult. In this article, we are going to look at the double life to help you understand it. •
What is a Double Life?
It is exactly what you would expect it to be. When in public, the alcoholic acts just like any other human being. They are charming, have a job, and likely have a family unit behind them. However, when they get home and they are alone, they’re an alcoholic. They drink heavily and have to deal with monster hangovers when they wake up. They are essentially killing themselves and nobody has the faintest idea about it. They have hidden it so well that nobody suspects a thing. •
The Mind-Set
That is all well and good, but it doesn’t explain the mind-set of the alcoholic living a separate life. This is what rehab centres have to try to understand and speak to. For a start, someone who leads a double life and requires help from alcohol rehab clinics does know that they have some form of addiction. They regularly think about what they are doing to themselves. The difference between them and someone who seeks out help is the person leading the double life will rationalise with themselves. They will talk themselves out of seeking help. These excuses could go on for years. Moreover, they will be the same ones said repeatedly. This is the mind-set of the alcoholic and it is almost impossible to break from the outside. •
Waiting for the End
A facet of the high-functioning alcoholic is they are always searching for that ‘rock bottom moment’. They will not admit they have a problem until they’re forced to confront it. This means they will never declare themselves an alcoholic until a dramatic event happens to them. It could come in the form of anything from being arrested for drunk driving to a divorce. Only when they reach this point will they finally admit they need help. •
Time span
Unfortunately, the only option for someone on the outside is to wait until they hit rock bottom. They should not enable the individual’s addiction, but they should continue to talk about it. They should let them know help is available when they want it. The high-functioning alcoholic can go on like this for decades until something goes wrong.
Remember, most alcoholics who live double lives are not perpetually drunk. They have often built up a large tolerance to alcohol, so they can drink a small bottle of whisky here and there without anyone batting an eyelid. In conclusion, stay vigilant and offer help when they finally come for it. By doing this, you can make sure they get to a place where professionals can give them the help they need.