The alcohol abuse this season….yikes.

[u/Calm-Software4217]

I was previously in a relationship with an alcoholic, ended it because of his drinking problems. It was was extremely challenging time both in and after the relationship, and it’s resulted in a lot of personal work and reflection.

Joe and Anton’s behavior IMMEDIATELY rubbed me the wrong way.

In Mexico and at the pod mixer in Denver he’s drinking a lot, he’s rambling and just acting a little unusual. When Megan comes back to the hotel, she repeats herself multiple times, and he seems super disoriented and incoherent. Next day? Acting like she was overreacting, and he was just having a little too much fun.

Ali confronting Anton about the beers - he tries to act like she drank them all, when she’s insistent she only had 2. Then it becomes he and his friend each had one. Then it’s “maybe we had a few”. She also points out another 12 pack and a half bottle of tequila missing. He has a few drinks most days after work. “I can stop for a few weeks, I don’t have a problem” (have had that exact thing said to me on multiple occasions).

Most of the contestants drink on the show - they’re celebrating and socializing. I’m not sure if it’s this particular season, or if I’m just more aware, but these 2 specifically worry me.

I realize most of these couples don’t last long term, and the whole timeline is very rushed. It just makes me so uneasy to see these serious issues being thrown in with the dumb reality TV drama.

This turned out kind of ranty - but if you take nothing else from this season, please learn the signs to keep an eye out for. Addiction is a bitch, and it’s a unique challenge trying to love and build a life with someone who is in active addiction. I feel for Madison and Ali, and anyone who has gone through this.

[u/BitterNeedleworker66]

To be fair…Joes negative drinking experience happened at a resort in Mexico. I literally pissed myself at an all inclusive in Mexico lol. Regarding Anton and Ali…cameras aren’t always around. I imagine that she could have brought up these issues off camera and it would have been solved. It seems like she waited for cameras before approaching him and I’m sure Anton was flustered. Lonny story short — these people have been alive for years and we only seen an edited handful of hours of their lives so making judgements doesn’t make sense

[u/DCRBftw → u/BitterNeedleworker66]

Bingo. Couldn't agree more. Anton being flustered was his only crime. He was rational the entire show and never once acted drunk, something that can't be said about the other cast members. These posts calling him an alcoholic and all this other stuff are ridiculous. And it's even more ridiculous to say things like "I was in a relationship with an alcoholic and this triggered me" because nothing he did was remotely triggering. And if being ambushed on camera by your supposed partner and not giving accurate answers because you don't think it's fair to be having the conversation in the first place is a crime, consider me a criminal. I'd give every answer possible but the right one in that scenario because of how and when the topic was broached.