Loving Someone Who Drinks: A Guide for the Heartbroken

Are you exhausted from loving someone whose drinking is destroying them—and you? Do you lie awake at night wondering if this will be the time they finally hit bottom? Have you hidden bottles, made excuses to employers, covered bills, and walked on eggshells, only to watch them choose alcohol again and again? Loving Someone Who Drinks: A Guide for the Heartbroken is the compassionate companion you need for one of life's most painful journeys. Written by Spencer Westel, this comprehensive guide speaks directly to spouses, parents, adult children, siblings, and friends who are watching someone they love slowly disappear behind a haze of alcohol. This isn't another book telling you how to get them sober. It's a book about how to survive when they won't stop drinking, how to protect yourself and your children, and how to stop sacrificing your life in a desperate attempt to save theirs. Inside, you'll discover: How to set boundaries that actually protect you—and maintain them when tested; the difference between helping and enabling, and why your "support" might be making things worse; practical strategies for protecting your mental health, finances, and physical safety; how to navigate the emotional rollercoaster of hope, disappointment, anger, and grief; when professional intervention makes sense and when it doesn't; how to protect children from lasting damage while living with a parent's drinking; honest guidance on the hardest question: should I stay or should I leave?; comprehensive resources including support groups, therapy options, and crisis helplines. What makes this book different: Unlike clinical guides that feel detached from your pain, this book acknowledges the messy reality of loving someone with addiction. Spencer Westel understands that you're not looking for statistics—you're looking for validation that your exhaustion is real, permission to prioritize yourself, and practical tools that work in real life, not just in theory. Written in an accessible, conversational style that feels like talking with someone who truly understands, each chapter provides both emotional support and actionable strategies. You'll find yourself nodding in recognition at descriptions of the dysfunction you're living with, while gaining clarity about what you can and cannot control. This book is for you if: You're tired of being blamed for their drinking or told you're not supportive enough; you've tried everything and nothing has worked; you're wondering if you're enabling or not doing enough; you feel guilty about considering leaving someone who's "sick"; you're sacrificing your own wellbeing and don't know how much longer you can continue; you want to understand addiction without academic jargon; you need permission to protect yourself without feeling like a bad person. Recovery is possible, but it has to be their choice. Your choice is whether to drown trying to save them or to save yourself. Loving Someone Who Drinks shows you how to choose yourself without giving up on hope—and why that might be the most loving thing you can do. Stop sacrificing yourself for someone who won't save themselves. Start your own healing today.