How to Help an Alcoholic Husband

Find help for your alcoholic husband today!

It can be very troublesome to watch your husband, the absolute love of your life, drink his life away to mere disaster but how can you help? Many wives struggle with the idea of trying to find help for an alcoholic husband who has simply spiraled out of control and, although some do muster up the courage to get help, the majority watch the scenario play out until lifelong illness or even death occurs. Unfortunately, millions of people struggle with alcoholism and need help to recover—on the plus side, there is help available!

The impact that a spouse’s decision to drink regularly can have on a marriage, children and the combined life of a family is often much greater than one would believe. There’s a lack of values, lack of support, lack of time, lack of respect and of course, lack or reality. A husband who drinks regularly will not be able to provide appropriate support, is often out of control emotionally or physically or both and poses a great burden on the family system.

What Can Be Done to Help an Alcoholic Husband?

The self-destructive behaviors that erupt when alcoholism affects a marriage can be reversed and the wounds can often be treated and will heal with time if proper support and treatment is sought. Alcoholics require extensive therapy, counseling and medical care in order to get their lives back in order and if the wife wants the marriage to be back in order too, then there’s a good chance that additional counseling will be necessary between the couple to rebuild the relationship back its once health stature.

There is no single method of treatment for alcohol addiction that will work for everyone which is why it’s important to do some research and consider your options prior to seeking help for yourself or for a loved one—especially someone as important as your husband.

Consider these options for help:

• Inpatient Alcohol Rehab – this may be the best solution if your husband is suffering from severe alcoholism or if other mental health conditions are also involved. Inpatient rehab consists of an extended treatment program which takes place in a residential facility that provides around-the-clock support and care in additional to psychiatric and medical evaluation.
• Outpatient Alcohol Rehab – if the alcoholism is not severe, does not include withdrawal symptoms that are difficult or dangerous to deal with, and has not already taken over your husband’s life then there’s a good chance that outpatient rehab will be effective. This treatment includes counseling and medical monitoring in an outpatient program that allows your husband to be home with you at night—it will take a lot of support from friends and family members to help the addict remain abstinent from alcohol.
• Family Counseling Programs – Is your husband’s addiction to alcohol causing problems in your life? Are you mad, hurt, angry, sad or otherwise upset as a result of the addiction? If so, family counseling is probably a good starting place to seek help. You should consider professional help especially if you’ve tried other methods of help and have not seen a successful outcome as of yet.

Resources:

www.niaaa.nih.gov