Enabling husband

So before I read @Melrm response, I was totally going to chime in that my husband did the same thing when I relapsed. Really, I think he was just trying to support me in whatever I decided to do.

Sobriety, AA meetings, reading all those books? He supported me fully.

Then when I was like, aaaaaand I’m drinking now, he was on board with that too.

So, hmmm, I don’t know. I definitely don’t blame him either way. He’s not forcing it down my throat. I’m an adult and fully capable of making those decisions.

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Thank you all for the replies and I really understand everyone’s situations with their other halves are different. I don’t blame him for my drinking at all as I said it started way before he was about but I don’t feel the offering of alcohol is the best choice. I have had countless conversations with him about wanting to not but alcohol and I am 100% honest in my struggle and my work colleagues are my biggest supporters.

I do not blame him for my drinking but we do have other issues going on which unfortunately influence my drinking habits.

This is a process and I can only continue if I can focus 100% I just wish I had him on board too

Hi Bec, my name is Kathryn & I’m not sure if this will help you or hinder you but I’ve read your post & all the pertaining comments, so I’d like to offer my perspective/own situation as an alternative view. (It’s a bit complex so I hope I come off clear enough).
So for starters, not only does addiction run in my family for generations, watching my siblings suffer, you’d think I’d RUN from addicts but as it turns out, I fell in love with an addict & as a matter of fact, primarily dated addicts before I got married. So I’m in a unique position of KNOOOOOWING addiction, ownership, self guilt, all of it…when my husband sobered up, he had a year sober before I finally made my desicion to get clean. So HE understands & is an addict in the truest definition & comes from the exact same background, watching BOTH parents, his only sister use drugs, all his aunts who helped raise him also dabbling in drugs/even prostitution. I mention all this back history because when I was still using while he wasn’t, I would ask him to go get me a bottle if I wasn’t physically able or up to it & he never turned me down!
Being sober now & even at the time, I never blamed him or felt guilty for putting him in that position. I FULLY grasp what being an addict means & that I own my actions but way more importantly, I had to come to my desicion on my own because it’s my choice. Much like the years I chased my husband & begged for love, for us, for his health that he get clean but it wasn’t until I let go, truly, of him, our relationship & let him find his own path, in HIS time, that he eventually did when he was ready.
So I THINK, why he never turned me down, was because he knew the same thing. That it was MY choice & journey BUT being my husband & loving me, if I asked him to do me favor, self harming or not (I know that’s awful) he still did it for me. I guess my point is, it’s only once you truly own your addiction, the role you play in it being YOURS to come to grips with, that you can truly start to heal.
Then, after that, YOUR husband will either respect your choice & be supportive, whether it be learning to be a productive part of your recovery…OR…the cold hard facts, that we never really want to face, whether or not you can stay in the marriage or a situation with someone that drinks & may not be healthy to be around or uses your drinking as an excuse for his own. I know these choices are NEVER easy & he’s DEFINITELY being accessive by asking to buy an ADDITIONAL bottle when finishing one but I agree if he’s only a recreational drinker, that he doesn’t FULLY feeeel the struggle you suffer.
That being said, I have an idea…I think you should just enact a “rule” with him, no matter what, no matter what your brain is telling you, no matter HOW BAD you want a drink, just say “NO!” to your husband if he asks! (I know this sounds ridiculous but let me explain my theory). If you completely take your husband out of the equation/decision to drink nightly, no matter where & when, if it’s HIM asking, it can be easier to help your relationship by irradicating his involvement in your addiction or any continued feelings of enabling…geez, I know I’ve run on for quite some time now hahaha but I genuinely hope you pulled SOMETHING of use out of this rant!
I honestly wish you SO much success Bec, I am sending you good luck vibes!! STAY STRONG saying no to a drink, flex that will-power muscle girl & resist! I have faith in you! - Kathryn :+1::raised_hands::clap::muscle::muscle::muscle::muscle::point_up_2::star2:

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Thank you for your response and you seem so strong to me! I think unfortunately my marriage is just breaking down bit by bit. I’m hoping some time alone will give me a chance to sort my head

And sorry I know my answer is is no way as inspiring as yours right now I’m just not feeling too great! But honestly I’m so grateful to everyone that has responded to my initial post it’s brilliant to see people being able to overcome an addiction

@Melrm Finally a voice of wisdom.

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@DrunkNoMore in what respect?

If you dont want your husband to bring you vodka, dont ask him to nring you vodka.

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He was referring to taking ownership instead of blaming others. As long as we hold those kind of resentments without working through them and seeing our part in things, we will stay sick. I don’t think he was trying to hurt you. We’re pretty honest around here and sometimes it’s not received well when we’re fresh. He works a solid recovery.

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Yeah we have alot of other problems too… ALOT…

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@Tosh012, same for me. Husband doesn’t drink. He desperately wanted me to quit. Almost day 25. However, I feel like my husband is watching to see if I slip up. It is a very unsettling feeling.

I am so proud of those of you that are keeping sober when you have a spouse that drinks. It is our choice to value our sobriety. It is still a daily battle.

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Learning to be nice to other people. And not rude when they were trying to give me good advice is one of those thing I had to learn as I got sober. It was called. Mindfulness. Im to Sorry for you from others @DrunkNoMore, not that I was rude…but because your a really nice guy.:hugs::purple_heart::pray:and other were rude to you…

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@lizak Thanks for your concern but it is not a big deal. There are people in here that are in the very early stages of acceptance and recovery.

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I apologise I wasn’t meaning to be rude I am just overly sensitive at the moment

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I know it is ultimately my decision to drink so I am now going to focus 100% and see how I get on. Hopefully I can be as strong as you all and get my head sorted out :slightly_smiling_face:

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He is an ex smoker and is currently vaping with no view of quitting

You are as strong as everyone here… You just may not know it yet😉

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Such fantastic advice

I agree with @Melrm, that was some solid advice about taking ownership of our actions! But I am also in the same boat as @Elisabeth and @Oliverjava with my wife. If I went to her tomorrow and said, “You know, I think I’ve got a handle on this whole alcohol thing” she’d accept that no question and I could drink again. I know this because its happened MANY times over the 6 years we’ve been together. She’s a “normie” in that after 2 or 3 drinks, once a week at that, she realizes she’s reached her limit and stops. EVERY time. Because of that, and because I “can” have two drinks and stop, she sometimes would tell me that it was ok to have a couple, and I could “just stop” after that. She doesn’t get that two now, and two in a couple days will inevitably turn into 6 and some nips in a few weeks. She doesn’t necessarily see how the progression happens, but I do. And during this current bout of sobriety I’m having, I had to sit her down and tell her that, no, I CANNOT start at all because I’ll always end up in a bad place, and I see that now. I think she finally gets it. It’s up to US, the addicts, to set guidelines and boundaries and bottom lines with the people around us. People will always lead you astray. Whether it’s someone with their own demons who encourages you to drink so they don’t have to face their own issues, or someone who drinks “normally” who doesn’t fully get it, no one else can decide what’s best for you. Not even a spouse who loves you and just wants you to do what’s best. It’s because of their love that sometimes their support slips into enabling. YOU have to be the one who sets a clear line and, most importantly, STICKS to it!

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