Alcoholism is a disease that affects the alcoholic as well as those close to the him. Having an alcoholic husband is stressful. He has to be willing to get help. You cannot force your husband to become sober, and you can not treat him by yourself. The best way to help your husband is through open, calm conversation, by not covering for his behavior and by offering him treatment options.
Step 1
Realize your husband is battling an illness that has a strong hold on him. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism states, "The craving that an alcoholic feels for alcohol can be as strong as the need for food or water."
Step 2
Make your husband responsible for his actions by not covering up for him. Instead of making excuses for his poor behavior around family and friends, tell people the truth. If your husband has to face the consequences of his actions, he will more likely realize that he has a problem.
Step 3
Talk to your husband when he is sober. Calmly tell him how you feel about his drinking and specifically how the drinking affects you and your family.
Step 4
Ask your husband if he is willing to get help for his drinking problem. If he agrees to receive help, make him an appointment for counseling with a drug and alcohol counselor. An alcohol rehabilitation center is another option for treatment that you and your husband can consider. Find an Alcoholics Anonymous near you. Alcoholics Anonymous provides group meetings in which alcoholics can talk with and support each other.
Step 5
Receive counseling with a psychologist for yourself, regardless of whether your husband is receiving treatment. Counseling can help you cope with the emotional stress of having an alcoholic husband, and it can give you the tools to effectively react to and communicate with your husband.
Step 6
Attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings regardless of whether your husband does. Spouses and family members of alcoholics often attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings to help them understand what their loved one is going through.
Step 7
Take time for yourself. It is unhealthy to let your husband's alcoholism consume your entire life. Go out with friends, get a massage, take up a hobby, enroll in a class at a community or do anything else that you enjoy.
Tips and Warnings
- Alcoholism is a sickness. Do not take your husband's behavior personally. Broken promises of quitting drinking should not be considered lies, but instead should be considered a symptom of the illness.
- Call 911 if your husband's alcoholism results in violence toward yourself or others.
