Friends, co-workers, etc may be well intentioned.....but they don't just get it. They can't get it. No one who hasn't dealt directly with alcoholism in their lives "gets it". I learned the hard way too. At first, I confided in my group of friends. I got 2 extremes...either they tried to rationalize his behavior for me, or they were cut and dry that I should get out now. I wasn't ready at that time, so it was hard to face people who thought I was stupid for staying.
That's the gift of AlAnon and this forum. People in AlAnon, and those of us on here...we get it. The individual stories may differ, but there is a common thread that runs through them all. I learned to vent at AlAnon and here, and keep it out of my friend relationships.