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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To not want him to bring the wine home?

299 replies

Ecdysis · 23/12/2020 06:09

I'm not an alcoholic but I do have an unhealthy relationship with wine. I realised in the first lockdown I was becoming dependent and after lots of thinking about it I quit in October. Much prefer not drinking and husband, who doesn't drink very much (the odd whiskey) agrees that not drinking has had a positive effect on my life.

I've asked him not to bring the wine he has been given as gifts from work home, however he has and I've gone back to drinking. He's says as an adult I should be able to have the willpower not to drink, I agree I should but I don't when wine is in the house (I wouldn't go and get some from the shop but when it's sat there I revert back to old habits)

AIBU to expect him to listen to me and leave the wine at work/give it away as he doesn't even drink wine and I don't want it?

OP posts:
SparklingLime · 23/12/2020 12:38

Genuinely, @alphabetsoup1980, what do you think a medical professional would do for someone in OP’s situation? ie someone who has stopped drinking, can ignore spirits and beer in her house, can ignore the wine aisle in the supermarket, but cannot ignore wine being brought into her home.

TheDivineMsRusso · 23/12/2020 12:49

Hi OP, just thinking about your DH walking in the door not once but twice and handing you wine when you asked him not to.

You also gave examples of times when you are not tempted--with friends at a pub or at the market.

Could it be that the evening wine trigger that evening time is when you're home alone with DH? I'm NOT saying one can blame anyone else for their behaviour/choices, etc. But if there are problems in the relationship, drinking can make it easier to be in the same room with the other person.

Just speculating, but either way, congrats on identifying your triggers and being proactive, OP. Smile

TheDivineMsRusso · 23/12/2020 12:51

PS, that wasn't an LTB post. Xmas Wink

ThirstyGhost · 23/12/2020 12:52

@InTheDrunkTank

Knowing my counsellor as well as I do she would be looking to me for my own actions not other people.

Maybe your counsellor is rubbish. Mine would be questioning why I seek out relationships with people who have so little respect, consideration and love for me.

I posted earlier. You're right about this IMO.

When I had my intervention 6 years ago (arranged by my partner and family), the interventionist had told my family that they needed to support me by changing their own drinking behaviours around me. This included NOT bringing any alcohol into the house. None of them responded by shouting, "no it's THIRSTYGHOST'S responsibility" and refusing the interventionist's request. Because they wanted to support me. Alcoholics and their relationships are hugely complex (as I suspect InTheDrunkTank knows v well). There's a lot of enabling that goes on. Taking responsibility for your own drinking does not mean that other people aren't incredibly important in supportive behaviours that can help the addict. This includes ending any behaviours which supported the addicts drinking - like cleaning up after them, lending them money, etc.... Not bringing alcohol into the home though - that's a basic one everyone can help with. If they care.

IMNOTSHOUTING · 23/12/2020 12:58

Why does it matter if OP is dependent, an alcoholic or merely on the start of a slippery slope that could end in one of those labels. OP hasn't asked for random, unqualified strangers on the internet to diagnose her addictive behaviours. She's very clear that she does have an alcohol problem and she's very obviously taking steps to address that.

She's asked whether it's reasonable for her to insit her husband doesn't bring wine home. Obviously this is reasonable, especially because he doesn't even like wine.

The people desperately trying to imagine a grown man can't think of any way of getting rid of a few bottles of wine other than leaving them in plain view of his wife who has told him she has issues with wine are being ridiculous.

If one of my colleaguea told me they had issues with alcohol I'd be careful not to leave bottles lying around on my desk (and I don't even like some of my colleagues very much) it's hardly a big ask from a partner.

Ecdysis · 23/12/2020 13:02

@TheDivineMsRusso

Hi OP, just thinking about your DH walking in the door not once but twice and handing you wine when you asked him not to.

You also gave examples of times when you are not tempted--with friends at a pub or at the market.

Could it be that the evening wine trigger that evening time is when you're home alone with DH? I'm NOT saying one can blame anyone else for their behaviour/choices, etc. But if there are problems in the relationship, drinking can make it easier to be in the same room with the other person.

Just speculating, but either way, congrats on identifying your triggers and being proactive, OP. Smile

I've looked hard at why I felt my drinking was becoming a problem and large part is boredom. I've always liked a drink but not developed an issue until lockdown. Working from home, not seeing people, not being able to go out etc alcohol began to fill the void. I've worked on the boredom and now do different things in the evenings but that requires more effort than opening wine and sitting in front of Netflix, so when the evening comes and wine appears it was just so easy to sit and drink. Tbh I am surprised that husband hasn't been more supportive, I'm much more productive when I haven't been drinking.
OP posts:
SeasonFinale · 23/12/2020 13:03

If the OP were to admit that yes actually she is an alcoholic she would be on the path to learning coping strategies. Alcoholics who are recovering are able to live in households where alcohol is kept and consumed when they have taken that step and know the strategies. The issue here is that the OP will not admit she is addicted.

SunshineCake · 23/12/2020 13:07

He could leave it in his car.

IMNOTSHOUTING · 23/12/2020 13:07

@SeasonFinale

If the OP were to admit that yes actually she is an alcoholic she would be on the path to learning coping strategies. Alcoholics who are recovering are able to live in households where alcohol is kept and consumed when they have taken that step and know the strategies. The issue here is that the OP will not admit she is addicted.
That is absoliute rubbish - please stop posting this rubbish as you clearly have no clue what you're talking about. I have experience with alcoholics and other addictions in my family and absolutely every single of them, especially at first, needed to avoid having alcohol in the house, which they did with the help from their family. Lots of them also had to avoid other triggers (e.g. certain people, pubs, even restaurants) especially at the beginning of their recovery. OP has quite alcohol only two months ago. Of course it makes sense to avoid having wine in the house.
VinylDetective · 23/12/2020 13:08

@SparklingLime

I’ve also got plenty of direct experience, and I disagree, *@VinylDetective*. It can be absolutely binary and it can be more complex. Thankfully there are people on this thread with a more up to date and nuanced understanding of OP’s situation.
There is no nuance in alcoholism. And if your knowledge is as excellent as you claim, you also know that denying alcoholism is pretty standard behaviour for an alcoholic. I’ve heard all the excuses about never drinking and driving, never drinking in the morning, only wine not spirits and any number of others.
Barton10 · 23/12/2020 13:17

I am a recovering alcoholic and have been given lots of wine this year. I don’t want it in the house so I really understand why you are so unhappy about it. I gave mine to my other colleagues so I wouldn’t be tempted. He could donate to a charity to use in a raffle. I did last year. Keep strong and don’t give in. You will have a much better Christmas for it.

TiredMary · 23/12/2020 13:24

The arguments aren’t really helpful to the OP.

Yes, it is possible for an alcoholic to have alcohol in their house. For some people it’s even possible in early sobriety. For many, it’s not. For some alcoholics, they will never again wish to have alcohol in their home. The important thing is how the IP feels, and right now - in very early attempts at sobriety - she can’t handle it.

TiredMary · 23/12/2020 13:24

OP

coldwaterfeed · 23/12/2020 13:46

Hi OP,

To me, it sounds like sabotage. I think he likes being the one who rarely drinks.

Someone who can't support you on such a basic thing does not have your best interests at heart.

He could have kept it in the car boot. He chose to disregard your wishes instead.

I would look at the relationship again in the light of this.

2bazookas · 23/12/2020 13:49

Just tip it down the sink and tell him if you ever see the donors, you're going to tell them what you did instead of thanking them.

Then wait and plot your revenge. MN can help.

I'd tell him you're cooking a special romantic dinner ,
......and serve any foods he really dislikes

theemmadilemma · 23/12/2020 14:07

@InTheDrunkTank

Knowing my counsellor as well as I do she would be looking to me for my own actions not other people.

Maybe your counsellor is rubbish. Mine would be questioning why I seek out relationships with people who have so little respect, consideration and love for me.

This.

Yes I would expect we'd work through the fact that the trigger 'worked' and there was a relapse (I thankfully haven't been there), but ultimately when addressing these issues you ask for the help of your friends and family, the people meant to love and support you, to do just that. Her husband is not only failing to support her, he's actively going against her wishes and her clearly stated trigger. He's an arsehole.

Annasgirl · 23/12/2020 14:09

I agree with the above poster - my DF was in AA for 35 years and he could not cope with having alcohol in the house. Indeed, he could not cope with large social gatherings for years, although he could visit his friend's pub and sit and chat with him without needing a drink.

The simple facts (for those who seemingly cannot read on this thread) are

OP has tried to quit drinking wine since October 2020 and has felt much better in herself
She asked her friends and family not to give her alcohol as presents and told them all she has quit
She asked her Dh (WHO DOES NOT DRINK WINE) to not bring home gifts of wine that he receive at work

He DH, TWICE, not once, but TWICE, brought home wine and HANDED said wine to the OP - and then criticised her lack of willpower.

Clearly many (most?) of you posting here have no idea how to manage addiction but her DH, as well as being unsupportive, was being a dick.

Veterinari · 23/12/2020 14:25

If you don't want to drink it and he doesn't like it, what's his purpose in bringing it home?
Is he setting you some kind of unsupportive willpower test?

MerchantOfVenom · 23/12/2020 14:53

OP I think if you feel this way (which in all honesty you'd be far from alone ) the focus should be if you can on getting support with this rather than the non issue of DH bringing home Christmas presents.

The ‘non issue’ of DH bringing home ‘Christmas presents’?!

They’re not just Christmas presents - they’re bottles of wine, which the OP is openly admitting she has a problem having in the house - which makes it not a ‘non issue’, but the entire issue.

The OP has admitted to herself - and everyone she knows - that she has a problem with wine.

She has said she doesn’t want it in the house because it’s a trigger for her.

What does her life partner do? Brings it into the house.

What kind of person does that?

If you admit to having a problem (that in itself is a big, and pretty brave step), then in healthy, functional, mutually respectful relationships, your partner in life supports you.

You say she should focus on getting support, but you don’t expect it to come from the person who supposedly loves her. Just odd.

AllThatJazzle · 23/12/2020 15:44

You've said your DH is frustrated by your lack of willpower. Do you know how hard it is being a close relative of someone with an addiction or with problem behaviour? It's shit. He's not being as supportive as he can be, but really the responsibility lies with you. It's a bit like you're trying to shift the blame to your DH. If you haven't already you need to sit down and tell him you have a problem with alcohol, and you can no lobger have wine in the house. Either he supports you in that, or he doesn't. But don't make him feel like it's his fault that you're drinking. The problem is you not being able to resist the wine, not him bringing it home.

Graphista · 23/12/2020 15:59

Sounds like you have both greatly underestimated your issues with alcohol.

That needs to be addressed ASAP.

Yes he was absolutely wrong to bring it home and present it to you as he did, he's way out of line there imo, is there any left? If so as pps say give to others or whatever and get it out the house.

You both need a serious discussion on how you'll manage your issues with alcohol in the future and frankly I think you need to seek proper experienced support because you won't be able to just not be around alcohol or wine for the rest of your life.

I have several alcoholics in my family and none of those in recovery were able to do so alone. The ones who aren't sober have tried to do it themselves numerous times.

I'm not an alcoholic as beer/spirits etc are in the house and I wouldn't drink them

That's not how it works. Sorry, but it's about your relationship with alcohol (whatever your preferred version is) and your ability/inability to control your consumption of it.

You can't not drink wine if it's present - I would say that makes you an alcoholic. Certainly a problem drinker but then I'm of the opinion that the various degrees/euphemisms used to describe dysfunctional drinking now merely deny the reality.

Ime the people I know who've actually been able to achieve long term sobriety make no bones about the fact they are and always will be alcoholics. They have used different methods of support all of them but that's one of the constants.

I'm not addicted, in as far as I don't have side effects if I don't drink nor do I go out and buy it, I have no problem walking past the wine aisle even after a stressful day, I just wouldn't buy it

The ones in my family the lack of "side effects" is I believe a major reason why they ended up succumbing - because "side effects" are a pretty good reminder it's not good for you/a deterrent. It's not just about having built up a tolerance either I genuinely believe it's genetic and may be a factor in why alcoholism appears to be genetic though I'm not aware of any studies. I barely drink (very wary because I have other personality traits in common with alcoholic relatives - a need to control, anxiety, very hard on myself re achievements/how I think people see me, self destructive tendencies) and have been teetotal at times because I have mh issues and I don't want to go down the path of "self medicating". So I've never drunk enough on a regular basis to build a tolerance, I've NEVER had a hangover, even on occasions when I have been more than "tipsy" eg 21st birthday, hen night. Alcohol doesn't make me feel physically bad in any way, I only have an academic understanding of what a hangovers like. My ex suffered terribly from them even if he'd not had much to drink. We used to have discussions with him trying to explain how it felt. On the rare occasions I have been drunk I was still fully aware of everything and I'm up the next day as usual feeling absolutely fine. If anything I feel better than usual because it's a very effective relaxant for me in terms of anxiety and insomnia. I had my drink spiked once on a night out and noticed straight away as I was completely out of it! Luckily the friend I was with that night also knew me well and knew alcohol didn't affect me like that and it was only my 2nd drink of the night. She got me home safely and I did feel extremely rough the next day but mainly my mood was affected. It transpired some twat apparently thought it would be "funny" to spike a load of people at that bar and watch the fallout, caught on cctv.

The alcoholics in my family have never suffered DT's, feeling physically rough from not drinking etc either.

Lots of rationalising and justification and denial op. I for one have heard it all before many times as I'm sure other pps with alcoholic loved ones have.

That needs to stop if you're to be successful in truly achieving and maintaining sobriety.

but I think the OP is in denial about using the "a" word with regard to her relationship with alcohol

I totally agree.

There are certain famous alcoholics who have made public similar comments about their drinking and even once sober have said it in biographies etc that they kidded themselves they weren't alcoholics because they "only" drank wine or champagne or expensive scotch etc, only drank evenings/weekends and therefore weren't a stereotypical "drunk" drinking meths out of a bottle in a brown paper bag on a park bench!

The finer details are irrelevant, the fact is you cannot control your consumption of alcohol.

I fully expect you and perhaps others to rage at me here, but I hope it plants the seed that leads to you getting the help you need and not becoming someone who rots their body and destroys their personal life due to alcohol.

I've seen that too much and it's heartbreaking I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy!

I'm not being obtuse but what would professional help do

I think for starters they would help you find the root cause of the issue (I say for starters that could take some time), they help you find what motivates and empowers you to stop drinking, how to address triggers, impulse control etc and eventually create a plan to prevent relapsing.

AA are one support option, there are many others different ones work for different folk. The people I know have variously had their support via AA and other similar charities, nhs, private healthcare, religion based sobriety groups... there is help available but you have to genuinely want to deal with it, and cliché as it is that starts with admitting the reality.

Wine really doesn’t get a free pass just because it’s the preserve of middle class Mums

Exactly

@ApplesinmyPocket I couldn't disagree more, based on my own experience and that of the addicts in my family fudging around the issue isn't helpful. When they've had to have new therapists and support workers due to previous ones moving on, retiring etc they've come across therapists that take the approach you suggest and say it isn't actually helpful and they think that people newly trying to achieve sobriety would be ill served by such an approach as it simply enables continuing denial of what's actually going on.

@NotOfThisWorld Your post is I think more accurate

IMNOTSHOUTING · 23/12/2020 16:14

@AllThatJazzle

It said very clearly in the OP that she had explained to DH (and her wider family) that she has an issue with wine and told him she can't cope with it in the house. She also explicitly asked him not to bring this wine into the house. It isn't like OP has been struggling with giving up for years and banned DH from alcohol that entire time. It's been two months! All she asked of him is that he doesn't bring wine (which he doesn't even drink anyway) into the house. Yet twice TWICE he brought the wine in and handed it to her. This isn't a situation where poor DH has it really hard supporting his alcoholic wife, he's deliberately being a dick.

Franticbutterfly · 23/12/2020 17:04

It's difficult. My husband had a serious drink problem until the end of last year, and gave up except for the odd one when we've been out for a meal, we have drunk alcohol on 5 occasions this year, and our life has improved beyond measure. It's a shame your DH cannot see the benefits of a dry home as I think that my support for my DH has really helped...also me being well against our life going back to how it was.

We also have a similar issue, We've been sent a Fortnum and mason wine hamper. It's just sitting in the hall. It's hard to look a gift horse in the mouth. I don't know if we will drink any of it. Maybe on nye. Either way it's a cause of stress that I wish wasn't there.

InFiveMins · 23/12/2020 17:26

He's selfish. He shouldn't have brought it home knowing you have a drink problem.

pinkdragons · 23/12/2020 17:34

You have a problem that you are trying to deal with.
He brings it home you pour it down the damn sink! What's he playing at, it's some kind of game to him. I'm sorry OP. He is unsupportive.

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