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Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

Started Counselling today - My counsllor thinks my husbands alcohol abuse are root of problem

41 replies

DeathandTaxes · 17/08/2010 23:03

It is my our 3rd time going to counselling, (with the same lady). I went on my own today. My husband is going to go to her on his own next week, before we then go for joint sessions.

I explained to the counsellor that I felt that we had never really got the the root of out problems in other sessions and that I had finished them before I felt we were ready because I sensed that my dh was becoming impatient with having to trek 30 mins drive every week to these sessions.

I said that I really believe that my dh resents me, his life, his responsibilities, but mostly ME for making him rein in his drinking a few years ago, as it was getting out of control. He never drank at home or during the day, but would go out to meetings in the golf club, (in which he was heavily involved as a council memeber) then have a few drinks there after meeting and then, often as not, would end up stopping off for more at our local and swinging home full as a lord.

There were times when he couldnt get in the front door he was so drunk, times he got in the door, but couldnt make it up the stairs, times when he got upstairs but then pissed in our wardrobe or in bed, or in kitchen sink..once, at a friends wedding, he took a shit in the bath of the bathroom of our hotel bedroom.

This sort of thing went on, sporadically from time to time, until 3 years ago, it all came to a head, I got my FIL involved, it was all out in the open, and he was shamed into sorting out his behaviour.

And he did curb it to a large extent. I begged him at the time to jsut give up drink as I felt it had damaged us enough. He said that no, he knew that he had a weakness, but that he felt that he could change his behaviour, control his drinking and he wanted to prove that to me.

In the last 3 years, the binges have reduced in number and severity, maybe 3 or 4 times a year, and not quite as bad, though still unpleasant to witness. The real problem though is that he still displays worrying traits. He drinks quicker than everyone else, always on for one more, gets annoyed it I suggest to him he has had enough (as I did after he had 8 pints and a whiskey and wanted another drink, at 1am and we have 5 little ones to get up for in the morning).

We are going through a terrible patch this last 18months or so, He says I am trying to control him, that I am no fun anymore, that I am always clock watching and counting his drinks when we are out. This is not strictly true. It is when he starts to get in to binge territory that I start to worry and wish that he knew when he had had enough.

He carries this simmering resentment in him, claiming that I do not "trust" him to drink sensibly. But how can I when he has this inherent, probably genetic weakness and is in denial about his own level of self control..

The counsellor thinks that this issue is at the root of our problems and that in fact, my husband is an addict who is controlling himself with great effort, and taking out all his frustration on me, hence why he is angry at me so much. She says that he displays all the arrogance and selfishness coupled with, paradoxically, the low self esteem of an addict, and she has advised me to seek out the help of Al Anon..She also feels that my anxiety and efforts to make him curb his behaviour are actually enabling and adding to the overall problem Sad

Can anyone advise me who has been in the same boat and can Al Anon help me deal with this?

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DeathandTaxes · 22/08/2010 12:02

Well, how predictable is that? He did arrive home at 3am. Drunk, although not blind drunk, iykwim.

He came to bed, kept on snoring so eventually at 4.30am I asked him to go to the spare room whereupon he got quite nasty, belligerent, swore at me, and made some comment about me being like my father (calculated to hurt as my father is a very toxic man who I have not seen or spoke to in 5 years).

This morning he got up, eventually. Apologised about the line about my father, looks rough as hell but insists that he is able to "function" perfectly normally today.

His definition of functioning is doing the bare minimum around the house and with the kids.

I have had these sundays many many times before, and I expect this is all going to get worse before it gets better.

But he insists he did not overdo it last night, despite being out for 5 and half hours drinking and the nasty ramblings he came out with last night.

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Snorbs · 22/08/2010 12:22

Waking a drunk up and trying to get them to move to another room is likely to trigger a disproportionate reaction. Engaging a drunk in a conversation about their current state is also likely to trigger such a reaction.

Would you consider, next time, maybe moving yourself to the spare room? Or going to sleep in the spare room in the first place so you (hopefully) get an undisturbed night's sleep?

"I have had these sundays many many times before"
I'm sure you have. Me too. Living with an alcoholic is like being on a rollercoaster. Sometimes it's up, sometimes it's down, but what you can be sure of is that you'll keep on going round and round getting the same thing over and over.

What can you do to make the situation better for you and your DCs? Maybe organise Sunday activities that take you and the DCs out of the house?

"But he insists he did not overdo it last night"

Of course he's going to insist he didn't overdo it. Do you believe him? No? I wouldn't. So why even bother having the conversation?

DeathandTaxes · 22/08/2010 12:43

Snorbs - I know, its just the fact that he can obviously drink so much and yet have the gall or lack of insight to insist that he did not overdo it - It is quite pathetic.

I will be going to the spare room the next time. I am so exhausted becuase I only really slept from 11 to 3am when he got home, after that and even once he had moved to the spare room I could not sleep I was so stressed out by it all and upset. So am struggling to manage the kids today, while he goes off to mass(!) the total hypocrisy of that, and then visits his 90 year old aunt with a couple of the kids which he does every sunday.

What I have insisted is that we are eating out tonight, I have no intention of slaving over the hot stove today after the night I have had.

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DeathandTaxes · 22/08/2010 12:44

Eating out with the kids that is, not a romantic tete a tete, obviously! Hmm

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Snorbs · 22/08/2010 15:43

You're absolutely right of course. Their lies are pathetic, their expectations that you'll believe their lies are also pathetic, and the vehemence with which they will defend their lies is pathetic as well.

The important thing for you to remember is that his lying is nothing personal against you - he'll tell the same lies, with the same protests of innocence, to everybody. Not least himself. Alcoholics drink too much and lie about it. It's just what they do.

DeathandTaxes · 22/08/2010 21:03

Snorbs - I spoke to his mum today about last night, she knows his form, and is very supportive of me.

She says that she does not think that he is an alcoholic, just that he has never grown up, want always to be "one of the lads" and that if he would only just wise up, grow up then his behaviour would change.

I said to her that I firmly believed that he had a weakness towards alcohol, that he couldnt reliably control his drinking and that left to his own devices he would go down that road.

I think that people do not like to use labels such as alcoholic, esp about their own son, but I just cannot believe that this is mere immaturity, i believe that this is nascent alcoholism.

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llareggub · 22/08/2010 23:26

I remember my MIL and I having the same conversation over, and over again. I'm pretty sure that we were both unwilling to accept that he was an alcoholic. After all, mothers don't want their sons to be alcoholics and I wasn't keen on having an alcoholic husband either. I didn't think my new NCT pals would be too impressed. Wink

After a few weeks/months of tedious discussions on the subject I realised that it didn't matter if I called him an alcoholic or a teddy bear. His drinking was a problem and that was that.

We do occasionally have the conversation and DH now says that he thinks that he has been an alcoholic for years, because for him at some point it became a problem. We don't know why or how and again it doesn't matter because it doesn't change his problem.

The key in all of this is acceptance of the problem, and that is what you husband (and your MIL) hasn't done. All this discussion of control of drinking is a massive flag for me.

Do keep talking, I found it incredibly helpful when DH was at his worst. If I could remember what nickname I was using on here back then I'd link to a few of the threads.

KristinaM · 22/08/2010 23:30

I think that at 41 he's as " mature" as he's ever going to be Hmm

Ozziegirly · 23/08/2010 04:25

You have my sympathies. My DH is a sober alcoholic and has been sober for a year and a half.

What everyone has said above is correct. This is nothing to do with you really and nothing you can do can stop or change him. My DH only changed and went to AA when he hit rock bottom. This was an emotional rock bottom for him when basically he pretty much had a nervous breakdown (although still did manage to function in an investment bank on a day to day basis).

What I will say is that he desperately tried to control his drinking for a number of years, and totally failed. Somtimes he would get home after a couple of drinks, sometimes he would be out until 3am, he was just totally unreliable where drink was the issue.

BUT, now that he is sober, he has said that he feels "free" and I do too. He has always been a wonderful husband, with a drink problem, and he is now a wonderful husband full stop. We are SO much happier and he is calmer and also able to achieve so much that drink always held him back from.

He has a better job, is currently studying for an MBA, he runs and keeps fit and says he finally feels like he is reaching his potential in life. Mainly though, he's still human, he still gets in a bad mood now and then, but I don't need to tiptoe around, worrying that he will go on a bender.

And imagine how it feels when he goes out ona client function and I know that he will be home when he says, sober. That knot of fear that you have will lift, it really is the most wonderful feeling to be able to trust your DH.

I don't know what would be your DH's breaking point, but on a practical note I would suggest just stepping back entirely from any "saving" of him. So, no looking after him and dragging him away early from functions, no making excuses etc. This will be really hard, but in a way it's better for him to hit his rock bottom and then seek help as he could conceivably continue how he is for the rest of your lives.

I wish you the best of luck.

tortoiseonthehalfshell · 23/08/2010 04:47

DeathandTaxes, you said that maybe he wasn't an alcoholic, but just an angry resentful man. his mother says of him that he has never grown up and wants - at 41 - to be one of the lads.

He feels that it's alright to blame you and to get belligerent and use hurtful words against you when he feels threatened, and to fail to pull his weight on the weekend.

I'm sure he is an alcoholic, but if he won't confront that, then it's irrelevant - the behaviours are the issue, and you can't live like this. I hope joint counselling helps, because something has to give, and while he's in denial that there's anything amiss with his behaviour, it won't be him.

(pssssst, Ozzie, have you had the baby yet?)

Ozziegirly · 23/08/2010 07:58

tortoise no, I'm going in tomorrow to be induced (aiee) if I don't go into labour tonight, which seems unlikely as I haven't even had a single flippin Braxton hicks or twinge yet.....

Sorry DeathandTaxes, mini highjack....

jesuswhatnext · 23/08/2010 09:00

dandt - why are biting your tongue?, why does your dh think he can carry on with this behaviour?, mainly because you let him! he dosent have to face any consquenses -

did he drive to mass yesterday?, if he did, im willing to bet he was still over the limit and you let him take the kids in teh car, tell him next time that if he wants to kill himself, thats fine, but he cant take the kids - tell him he has to sleep in teh spare room, why should you put up with drunken snoring and farting and general stinkiness - frankly, i would have taken the kids out for dinner last night and not included him, you were angry, why should you sit at the table with him while your meal goes down in lumps because you are holding in your anger.

i am sorry to be harsh, but truely, if my dh had let me carry on with the life i was leading i would be on my way to abject misery, he didnt 'save me', he actually saved himself, but in doing so gave me the chance to do the same - my options were simple - keep drinking and lose my marriage - stop drinking and regain my life and save my marriage! i thank god he decided not to keep biting his tongue!

AttilaTheMeerkat · 23/08/2010 09:45

You have bitten your tongue before now:-

"I bit my tongue and did not let on I knew he was home later than he said"

I can only reiterate what I wrote earlier:-

Shielding him from the truth protects him from actually having any consequences for his own actions. Again this is enabling him. You MUST stop enabling him because doing so only gives you a false sense of control and may even delay any recovery on his part. However, there are no guarantees here as he could lose everything and still drink. You are still NOT responsible for him.

I would have asked his mother what her definition of an alcoholic is. She is also in denial of her son's drinking problem as well. Alcoholism is a family disease, family members need support as well.

Quite apart from anything else, the long term effects of all this on your children (and there will be fallout) is incalculable.

DeathandTaxes · 23/08/2010 11:30

Just getting back to thread now.

I dont know what to say really, I am overwhelmed by the amount of support and great and strong words of advice from all of the posters on here.

I want to thank you all for taking the time to post your advice and give me the benefit of your experience. I am not overstating it to say that being able to discuss this on here in the last couple of weeks has really really helped me, and I just wish I had known about MN years ago.

I WILL be going to al anon this week and every week thereafter to help my see my way through this, I think that Al Anon will teach me to stop enabling and put me and the kids first, and I think that is the important first step in getting out of this rut that we have been in for years. I totally accept that I have to step back and let him do his worst, in the hope that he will hit rock bottom and make a choice, hopefuly his family, but if not, then we will have to make the decision to part.

I will continue to post on here, as it really helps to do so, and I just want to say thanks, and that I am not just reading your advice and sitting on it, I am acting on it. Smile

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Snorbs · 23/08/2010 12:55

Atilla, while I can see your point about not shielding him from the truth, there is another side to this particular situation.

He knows he came back at 2am. D&T knows what time he came back at 2am. If he then says he came back at 1am then I'd suggest D&T's best response is a non-commital "Uh-huh" and to then go and do something fun. To counter with the truth will simply trigger a pointless argument that will get nowhere and resolve nothing.

There's nothing that D&T can do to stop him lying to her - he's an alcoholic, he'll lie about his drinking and his drunken behaviour. It's what they do.

With that in mind, then, D&T has a choice. She can Confront Him With The Truth and get nowhere other than to raise her own stress levels, or she can let it go. She can choose to engage with the bullshit and drama or she can maintain an air of serenity and not waste her time on something that, ultimately, is not her responsibility.

Some battles are worth the fight, some aren't. My personal opinion is that arguing with a drunk over whether they came home at 1am or 2am isn't worth the effort.

DeathandTaxes · 23/08/2010 13:11

That is what I thought too Snorbs, although I then went back on that decision later on yesterday and told him that I knew that he had come home after 2am not 1am. He still insisted that I was wrong, and of course I did get annoyed, and stressed and it got me nowhere in the end, whereas of course I should not have even engaged in that pointless exercise in the first place.

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