Am I to blame?

I relapsed with alcohol…hard. I’m a female and had a male coworker over to hang out and drink. I felt like since I had company while drinking, I wasn’t falling back into my old ways of getting drunk alone. My husband was gone and has hung out with this guy before but didn’t really like him. I thought he was just jealous and being controlling. My coworker was harmless and we’d formed a good work relationship with no romantic feelings. I woke up the next afternoon with him there knowing something bad had happened and that I’d been taken advantage of. Still drunk, I called my husband and parents and told them I thought something bad had happened. My husband said he didn’t blame me for being taken advantage of but he blamed me for inviting someone over and taking that first drink. I ended up in the hospital twice this weekend. I was told I should’ve died by how much alcohol was in my system. My husband came home temporarily and put me on a plane back to my parents house. I know I was wrong for trusting someone but I’m so hurt that my husband blames me for this and is talking about divorce. I know I need help for my drinking and plan on getting it but I feel like my world is over. I feel like this is all my fault.

3 Likes

Hi Rina, first: that is so so hard. I fee for you. What a painful, regretful place to be :pensive:

Responsibility for what happened last night is not the key question now. What you are responsible for now is getting sober. One day at a time.

I know it hurts. But right now, there is no answer for the question you are asking here. You have to get sober before anything else.

Take this time at your parents to join a sobriety group & start working on your sober self. There’s AA www.AA.org or a list here:

Resources for our recovery

Take care & remember you are a good person who deserves a safe, sober life. You have to give that to yourself first.

12 Likes

You played a part in what happened, you will have to own it.

As far as your coworker talking advantage of you he shouldn’t have…

Alcoholism is a disease, because of it we do things we would’ve never done sober, Lord knows i have.

At this point all you can do is focus on you getting better. I’m sorry you’re struggling.

10 Likes

For me, I am the one to blame for all my actions while drinking. No one forced me to take those drinks. It was all my choice. Yes, I’ve hurt people but sobriety and AA have helped me to make amends.

14 Likes

I am so sorry you experienced this trauma. Having found myself in very similar circumstances a few times in my drinking career I know the pain, shame and fear that waking up from a black out and realizing you have had unintended or nonconsensual relations, it is soul sucking. Truly, my heart is heavy for you.

If you need someone with experience to talk this through with, you may find the people at RAINN helpful.

https://www.rainn.org/

I think focusing on healing your self and severing your relationship with alcohol are important steps to take. As well as dealing with the trauma of what happened.

Please be gentle with yourself. Navigating into sobriety will help you heal body mind and spirit. From there hopefully you can work on your relationship. But first, please focus on healing your self and sobriety. :heart:

8 Likes

I have been mulling on this since you first posted @rina27 and I responded. I don’t think I was clear enough in my response, and I want to rectify that.

Regarding being taken advantage of when drunk, no, you are not to blame.

When someone gets drunk, they can expect a hangover, shame, regret and other bad decisions…but being drunk never excuses being taken advantage of, being assaulted, abused or raped. Never.

Blaming the victim of assault is never acceptable.

Sexual assault by a friend, acquaintance or stranger is still assault and still illegal. Too often women are blamed for being sexually assaulted because they were drunk. If it is not sober consent, it is not consent.

So dear @Rina27, emphatically no, you are not to blame for being taken advantage of.
And I apologize for not making this clear earlier, I let you down there.

I do hope you will call the RAINN line to at least discuss a bit. :heart: Thank you for being vulnerable and reaching out. I hope you are okay. :heart:

For informational purposes…

https://www.rainn.org/articles/drug-facilitated-sexual-assault

17 Likes

You are not to blame for being assaulted if that is what happened…

Consent isn’t possible when you’re blackout drunk.

That being said, as a woman who had her fair share of non monogamous sexual encounters while drunk…there was a lot that I did, that sober me wished never happened (again…none of it was assault…to be clear)

When I got sober, I had to take a good hard look at what non sober me was willing to accept as far as my conduct and another persons conduct were concerned.

When I got sober, my standards for both my actions and the actions of others skyrocketed…and situations I would have been in we’re no longer an option for me. As a result…I was never in those situations again (as of yet)

A doctor can help you understand what happened, and most importantly help to put a program in place to stay sober.

Your husband is likely hurt, scared and confused, and right now…holding the space for him to feel these things is likely important.

You can only handle your actions…putting sobriety first…and navigating a path for yourself that will keep you sober.

Sending you love and strength :yellow_heart:

12 Likes

Chiming in here as well, Rina.

I agree 100% with Matt. Right now, what happened and responsibility is a very difficult question to be answered - both by us, you, and your husband. (even if he was quick to come to a conclusion.)

The best thing you can do now is focus on the single most important thing anyone has: their life. You matter, your life matters and, because of it, your sobriety matters, too.

One day at a time. It’s quite baffling how all the pieces slowly fall (back) into place the longer you are sober; think how each day you are sober, you are on track to a better life and showing everyone around you (both close and potentially damaged relationships) that you are a better you.

Keep your head up. I know it must be so hard. Talk to us community members; the beautiful thing is many of us, including myself, have found ourselves in similar situations of pain and regret.

Hang in there. Brighter days are ahead. :sunny:

6 Likes

22 posts were merged into an existing topic: Derailment void / Off topic 2021

Some for inviting him your married and should not have another guy drinking there with you especially if your husband is not home. But what a low life friend for him to take advantage of you I’ve been drunk with a lot of drunk girls and have never done that I would call the cops on that ahole

1 Like

Oh and if I was your husband I would go kick the living crap out of that guy.

I am so sorry, @Rina27. That’s a difficult enough situation, you didn’t need mud tracked through here as you tried to reach out. That isn’t who we are.

That drink certainly led down a dark alley. I have no words for all that followed; it has to be a lot to unpack.

I can say that can be the last time it has to happen. And we do heal if we leave that liquid genie in the bottle. I hope you’ll stay with us.

5 Likes

This is a shitty situation to be in, you have my love and support. It is not all your fault. Just coincidently a similar thing occurred in conversation with my sponsor today. She talked about how if you are drunk and get robbed, it does not mean it is your fault you got robbed. The thief is still a thief. Many of us on here have been in similar situations drunk.That being said, part of getting sober is taking control and responsibility of our own life. I don’t know how your relationship with your husband will go, but getting help for your drinking and changing your behaviour will do a lot for that.

5 Likes

Closed at the request of the OP.