Should I tell my wife…
Should I tell my wife I’m an alcoholic?
I’m seeking advice from this forum, since you are the folks most affected by an alcoholic’s lies. Thanks in advance.
Thirty years a drinker but only 10 months a husband. My wife knew I drank when we met, but I put on the appearance of a social drinker when we were together. I did my heavy drinking when we were apart and figured once we were married I’d just have to moderate my consumption. Of course that didn’t happen. In fact, it probably increased. Once married, I continued to drink, but hid the amount of alcohol by drinking after she went to bed, or by chugging down extra beers while in the garage “working on some project,” or pounding down a 40 on the way back from a “milk” run to the store.
A drinking mishap followed by enlightenment from a HP finally opened my eyes to my condition and on Aug 20th I decided to quit drinking, so far with only one relapse, which has served to strengthen my resolve. However, I’m sick inside from lying to my wife, sick about deceiving her, but more ashamed to tell her about my problem or my recovery. If I tell her, she’ll know she didn’t marry the man she thought she was marrying.
I can make this right if I never drink again, so I’m not sure what purpose it serves to tell her I’m a drunk other than disappoint her. But because I know my head isn’t screwed on right, I’m asking you. Should I tell my wife I’m an alcoholic?