How are you coping? Are you drinking or smoking more? Missing work? Pulling away from friends because you're too caught up in stress at home, trying to hide your partner's addiction or thinking they just don't want to hear you gripe about it anymore? These are all warning signs that you are starting to lose yourself in the dustcloud of your partner's substance abuse.

Taking care of yourself might mean signing up for a class, getting together regularly with close friends, seeing a therapist or finding an on-line support group. You can not help your partner or your relationship if you yourself are falling apart.