Originally Posted by
RevivingOphelia 
Why do women (and some men) put up with days, months, or decades of abuse or addiction or both?
I'll posit some reasons as to why women, from Lois to women today, remain with jerks:
Women, by and large, are STILL raised to think it's their duty to remain the devoted wife/mother. Some do not have the emotional strength to leave. Some do not have the financial means to leave. Some are too scared to face the world alone. Others do not want to give up any vestige of privilege (financial/social) that they may be experiencing by staying with their spouse. Some feel safer in the mirage of a relationship than no relationship at all and use elaborate methods of denial and rationalizations to justify their choice to stay.
I guess I am still around because of the kids. So that is a duty thing. They asked me to hold things together . . . so. For a long while I was also in the "my little buddy (Mrs. Hammer) is hurt and needs help" mode. But not so much any much any more.
They'd rather have a douchebag of a man than no man b/c a woman is taught from a young age that her value is somehow tied to being with one. Some women choose to remain in a shell of a marriage rather than find the strength and face the prospect of being on their own because they don't know HOW they are going to forge ahead with an independent life. Lois probably had even less opportunities to create a new life without Bill. Child/Spousal support laws were not the way they are today. Employment opportunities were also limited for women.
Do you follow that as far as the money and Bill and Lois, it was pretty much the other way around?
She went to work and he was basically a bum?
I think it's awesome you don't equate yourself with Lois.
And I think A's who actually work the program are pretty Awesome, too.
Good for YOU.