New year is a time of reflection, I thought I’d post and reflect on the last year and especially the last 6 months. My DH is/was an alcoholic. I reached my rock bottom in July and posted on here for help (under a different name). A very kind MNer recommended a book by Allen Carr. I bought it and DH was receptive, although he didn’t consider what rock bottom was for me as too big a problem for him.
We were staying in a hotel, he stayed up drinking and was sick in the bed, turned the pillow over and went back to sleep. Our DS6 woke us up in the morning and saw all the vomit. I felt that our DS could have found him dead rather than lying in his own sick. He made sure we had lunch the next day in the only part of the theme park we visited that served beer. Hair of the dog.
DH started reading the book, a few pages a day. It was a slow process but he started to accept his drinking was a problem and impacting all of us. He had a couple of false starts, where he found himself in social situations he was not prepared for. Having lunch in the pub near work, the bar staff starting pouring his ‘usual’ so he just went with it. But he ploughed on and kept reading the book, by the time he got to the end he had been 2 months sober and ready to never drink again. I’m so proud of him. He is now 3 months sober and successfully made it through xmas and new year, attended all his usual social events at this time of year and not even been tempted to drink. He also put an anonymous request in to work for non-alcohol based hand gel, he says it smells like vodka to him and although it doesn’t make him want to drink, he also doesn’t want to smell alcohol on all his colleagues as they walk past him.
I bought cherry liquer chocolates without even realising until I ate the first one. At least I got to finish the box!
I’m so proud of what he’s achieved and very grateful for the support I received from MN when I hit rock bottom. I know it won’t be easy and he will have more challenges ahead; and that MN will be here for us. 
thanks