Unfortunately, an addiction doesn’t just affect the alcoholic. While it should be noted that women can be alcoholics, as well, today we talk about the wives of alcoholics. The wives of alcoholics are often found doing things that support the alcoholic instead of giving them an ultimatum. According to Chapter 8 of the Big Book, there are many things that wives of alcoholics may do. They may think they are helping their husband. However, there is a difference between helping and enabling alcoholics.
Self-Sacrificing
Even when women want their husband to quit drinking, they often give up everything, just to see their husband seem happy. They may even serve them alcohol and watch them get drunk. If you are the wife of an alcoholic and have sacrificed everything in response to your husband’s alcoholism, now is the time to stop that. Help them reach out to an alcohol rehab for treatment.
Telling Lies
Many wives of alcoholics tell lies to try protecting their husband. They might call their husband’s work to cover them after a drunken night. The wife might tell other family members their husband couldn’t be at a family event because they had to work, when in fact their husband was out drinking. Telling lies for your alcoholic husband isn’t doing anyone good. It is causing more destruction and despair.
Begging Them to Quit Drinking
If you are the wife of an alcoholic, have you ever begged your husband to quit drinking? If so, this is another enabling behavior. It just gives your husband time to make you feel bad for their drinking and behaviors. In addition, begging just puts more pressure on you. It is better to ask your husband to go to alcohol rehabilitation.
No matter what you do, you can’t force your husband to quit drinking. They have to want to overcome their alcohol addiction. You can, however, give them an ultimatum about going to alcohol treatment centers or you leaving until they get help. Just make sure you don’t give an ultimatum that you won’t stick to. If your husband is willing to get treatment have them call 888-992-7955 today.
