Alcoholism isn't just something 'others' have to deal with....
My childhood sweetheart was an addict. It doens't matter what (beer, drugs, food....it's all still something that alters a person, isn't it?!?).
Anyway, he was perfect. Kind, gentle, beautiful, caring, sweet, honest, hard working. He made good money, was a good provider and great husband. 95% of the time, I thought I had won the jackpot. 5% of him, well, that was the part that needed to smoke weed . Every day. It wasn't hurting us financially, didn't affect how he did his job, and didn't make him an a$$hole. However, he couldn't go a day without it. I thought it would pass, as he got older. It didn't. It got worse. His excuses were always things like 'this relaxes me', or 'this takes the edge off', or 'this helps me to focus'....Truth is, as his partner, 'I' should have been the person who helped him relax, focus, or take the edge off. His dependance on a substance to get through life was a major sign that I ignored for far too long.
Years later, it came down to a decision. Does this '95% of the time great' relation mean more than my own values and self-worth? The answer was a really difficult 'no'. I cried for months after we split (which was very, very ugly). It took a long time, but I did stick to the belief that I was worth better, I was worth more. Years later, I'm again married to a man who cherishes all of me, and when we argue, we talk (he doesn't depend on drugs or alcohol to 'cope')
I'm so happy now. But most of all, I feel an inner peace, a pride, and a strength that I never did with my ex. It wasn't easy to move on from him, but it was SO worth it. I hope you love yourself more than you love him. If you do, and you need to, you'll see that you are not only worth more, but that you deserve and need more if you want to be fulfilled and happy.
That's my 'Dr. Phil' for today
Sorry to sound so 'motherly', but I get emotional when I see young women making the same mistakes I made....