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Old 09-23-2010, 05:56 PM
  # 17 (permalink)  
LexieCat
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Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: South Jersey
Posts: 16,633
I'd say it's unanimous. Now, here's a possibility you may not have considered. She may try to convince you that you're not.

Most of the partners on this forum have been soundly convinced of their alcoholic's alcoholism, and are frustrated to no end by their refusal to deal with the problem. Early on, though, a lot of us were in denial about it, ourselves.

If you look around the alcoholics forum, you will find tons of people who are getting no support for their recovery from their partners because the partners refuse to believe they are alcoholic. Sounds weird, huh? Sometimes I think partners want to deny a drinking problem because they have preconceived ideas about what an alcoholic is (the skid-row bum stereotype). Or they may have had someone else in their lives (a parent, a relative) who was an alcoholic not in recovery, and they shudder to think of you as being "like them". Or they may think by telling you that you "aren't that bad" they ARE being supportive--sorta like saying, "No, honey, those pants don't make you look fat."

Just be prepared for the possibility. You may have to take her to some open AA meetings so she can see what REAL alcoholics look like--they look just like you.

You MUST be honest with her, though, and pursue your recovery as you must, regardless of her reaction. Because without recovery, your relationship is likely to suffer greatly.
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