Dear Carolyn: I’m 57; I met the love of my life about four years ago, and we have lived together for two years. I knew he drank too much before we moved in together. He got drunk by 4 in the afternoon the day he moved in with me. Now he drinks four to six strong beers per day. Before I met him, I drank about one or two drinks per month, and now I drink approximately three per day.
Yes, I’ve been trying to ignore all the red flags. But I don’t want his life or mine cut short because of alcohol effects.
Believe it or not, we have a pretty good relationship, and I have had more happy times with him in three years than I had with my completely sober ex in 12 years. We do talk about drinking; he says that he will cut down and that he wants to be better. He is a pretty high-functioning person with a job and family relationships.