You are not alone
This may have been affecting you for longer than you realised.
Living around someone else’s drinking can be frightening, confusing and lonely.
You may have spent a long time trying to keep things calm, protect other people, explain things away, or wait for things to get better.
If you feel exhausted, anxious, angry, guilty or unsure what is normal anymore, that does not mean you are failing.
It means this has been affecting you too.
You did not cause this
Someone else’s drinking is not your fault. You may care deeply about them, but you cannot control their choices, manage their drinking, or cure the problem by loving them enough.
Many people carry responsibility that was never theirs to carry.
You do not have to work everything out today
Sometimes the first step is simply having a quiet moment where you can stop blaming yourself and recognise that you need support too.
When you feel ready, you can read more, look after your own wellbeing, or hear from others who understand.