Married To An Alcoholic Woman
If you are married to an alcoholic woman, you have a heart wrenching challenge. Marriage is supposed to be about two people sharing their lives with each other. Alcoholism cuts one person off and creates an emotional black hole in the relationship. Take a look at the ways alcoholism can affect you, your children, and your wife.
Compulsion To Do Dangerous Things
Alcoholism is more than just drinking a lot of alcohol. It also involves a dangerous compulsion to keep drinking despite knowing the consequences. A compulsion is a strong urge to do something over and over. Often this activity becomes dangerous and all-consuming when the compulsion takes over. Compulsion causes an alcoholic to drink high levels of alcohol which impairs judgment, releases inhibition, and heightens emotions. When she drinks this much, she does a lot of damage to her body. She is also at risk for drunk driving, poor performance at work, and sabotaging family relationships.
Your Marriage May Not Survive
These can all make an alcoholic woman a poor marriage partner. She is not likely to consider her husband’s needs, may spend money recklessly, may not communicate very well, and may not be very dependable. Perhaps in an intoxicated state she tells her in-laws some terrible things. She may act erratically at family events, cheat on her husband, steal from the family funds, or completely isolate herself in her home. These circumstances can weigh heavily on a marriage.
Instead of having a mature adult partner, a husband has a reckless child to care for. Even the most patient spouses can have difficulty enduring this for long. Alcohol rehab can help a marriage get back on track, but
there are no guarantees.
Protect Your Kids From The Effects of Alcoholism
Anytime an alcoholic is left directly in charge of children, the danger level goes up. Young children are at a much higher risk for neglect an injury. They may be left in dirty diapers for long periods, not feed adequately, and allowed to roam through the house unsupervised. Even older children need supervision and guidance through their day. Having an alcoholic parent in the home means they must learn to fend for themselves. Kids grow up and leave their carefree childhood mindset behind long before they are ready. This can lead to discipline problems and reckless behaviors. If your wife is alcoholic, you need to protectyour kids. Learn how alcoholism is affecting them and do whatever you can to keep them safe. Encouraging your wife to go to alcohol rehab is a good start.
Alcohol Rehab Can Give Your Marriage A Chance
DUI arrests, problems staying focused at work, and financial difficulties may not be enough to make an alcoholic woman change her behaviors. Your marriage can erode before your eyes if she continues drinking. She needs support and encouragement to get help with her alcoholism. This isn’t a matter of will power or being strong enough to handle it. Your alcoholic wife will have the best chance if you help her get started with alcohol rehab today.
Photo credit: gui.tavares