Hi there,
I'm concerned my boyfriend has a drinking problem. Here is the situation:
Pretty much every time he drinks he has way too much to drink 14, 16, or 20 drinks at a time. He blacks out and can't remember pieces of the night, and most of the time ends up sick. He does this every time. If this just happened once and a while I wouldn't be concerned. He is 22 so I know he is still young and is still experimenting, but he said something tonight that really concerns me. He said "I can't separate a good time and drinking." It seems like for him he has to be drinking for him to think of it as a good time, and that's scary.
Basically, I know he isn't that bad in comparison to other people, but I'm concerned because it seems to be getting worse. I think, considering it is not as bad now that I can do something to help him and help him break his habit before it gets really bad....I just don't know what to do. Every time I try to talk to him about it he gets defensive, and puts up a wall, like he doesn't want to hear me. I tell him everything I should, that "I'm concerned for him because I love him so much, I'm concerned with his drinking because I want him to be safe and healthy." I say it all. I just don't know what to do.
Tonight he told me that he wants to go out for New Years, and he doesn't care if I come or not but that is what he is doing. So, even if I stay home with my family (I normally do this and feeling like this is the thing I would like to do, I like being with my family on New years because they are the people that are going to be in the life that year and they are the people I love and care about, and I want him to be there because I love him very much) he will be out drinking. I don't want to be the case, but he is dead set on it.
I just need some guidance and support and help myself. I don't know what to do.
Katie