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Old 02-15-2011, 06:48 AM
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Lizzie99
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Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 2
Pretty sure my husband is an alcoholic

Here's my story - My husband has always drank. When we were first married, he might drink a couple of beers after work a few nights a week. That amount increased and became more frenquent. We moved for my job and he had trouble finding work. His drinking became very heavy, to the point he was finishing off a case of beer in one evening. He checked himself into a mental health facility for depression/anxiety where they told him the drinking was self medication. He stayed sober for a year. Once he weaned himself off the medication, the drinking returned very slowly.

Now he drinks in the evenings, almost every night. He drinks by himself, maybe 8 beers or mixes drinks; whiskey, brandy, vodka, gin, etc. When I confronted him about his stash of liquor and beer, he said that maybe he had a problem, quit for a few days, but went back to it. Confronted again, I was accused of spying on him and he now locks up the alcohol (I can still get to it to see what he's up to, he just doesn't know it).

He doesn't drink during the day, but it's almost a nightly occurrence. He doesn't drink and drive, but will drink heavily in social situations when he is not driving. He takes a pint of whiskey with him on trips so he can drink. When on vacation, he became almost unbearable by 5th night of no alcohol and drank 9 beers that night.

To me all these signs point to alcoholism, but he doesn't see it that way. I don't know what to do to help him or where I should be going to get him help. I know you can't force an alcoholic to get help, but I am getting to my wits end with this. He brings home very little income right now and I am supporting us. It drives me crazy to be scrimping by and the money I give him for gas, etc gets spent on beer and liquor.

I live in a very rural area where everyone gossips. While I know AA and Alanon meetings are supposed to be private, I hesitate going because I feel it would get around that I went.

Any advice you could give would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
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