Thank you, Pink Acres. I believe that if children are part of the situation, it is best they live separately from the active alcoholic. But for adults without that complicating factor, as long as there is no physical threatening or assaults or extremely violent verbal abuse or sexual infidelity--all of which can kill a spouse in various ways-- getting out immediately is not always necessary.
Staying, BUT allowing the alcoholic to experience every single negative consequence of the drinking, is always a viable choice. After a period of time, it will become clear whether consequences are enough to force the desperate alcoholic into sobriety. For some alcoholics, unfortunately, decades of crisis still are not enough.