Hey IMs,
I'm here to talk about my husband. For years he's been bordering on alcoholism and/or OTC pain relief addiction. It's always one of the other. If he goes off drinking (usually because I've bitched about it, so he cuts back) he just jumps straight onto the pills again.
I've just confiscated another box of ibuprofen + codeine after he's been off drinking for about two weeks. Box of 30 tablets and there was 9 left, so in 14 or so days he's had 21 pills. It's at the stage where if I ever get a headache or whatever, I can't take anything because I can't have that stuff in the house. It just vanishes overnight.
Both the alcohol and the pills are so easily accessible. I don't know where to start with him. He makes excuses for taking the pills. I'm sore from work, I've got a headache, I can't sleep. I don't know if he sees how bad it's getting. He's an addict. He bounces between drinking and pain killers constantly. I'm so sick of it. What do I do?
Drug/Alcohol abuse
Drug/Alcohol abuse
Posted in:
Mental Health, Health & Wellbeing
4 Replies
I dont know much about the help he can get but i do know he ha to do it himself.
Like you said bitching and hiding it and going without is futile he can get it easily if he wants it, it just negatively affects your life.
Wow sounds familiar
I am now 2 yrs sober
From drink,drugs OTC pills
Took me prob 2 yrs to realize i had a problem
I go to meetings every week
To keep me on the right track
But i must say
I wanted the help from professionals
I had enough of living like a junkie
Im happy i finally made that choice
Sure i miss the drink
But atm i just cant
You can be their for support and courage
But u cant make someone do this
You have to want to stop
I wish I knew the answer to this - I have just watched my sister go through it all with her husband. He has advanced further down this path than your husband by the sound of it, but about 5 years ago he was where you're husband is currently at. I won't go into the horror story, but it is exactly that - a horror story. He has serious physical and mental health complications now, and their marriage is over. Their kids (now teenagers) don't want much to do with him, which is devastating for everyone because he used to be a lovely dad. He is insufferable now, makes excuses all the time for his drinking and drug/medication abuse, and makes up stories about how he broke whatever bone he's broken now, when he was clearly off his face and fell again. It's just so, so sad. I know I'm not helping you by telling you this, but maybe if we'd all known where he was headed we might have been a bit more proactive back then. Maybe we could have shown him examples of what his life will be if he continues to use substances at that rate??? I don't know. That's what I'd try though - see if you can find footage of someone suffering the huge physical, mental, and family/relationship complications that substance abuse leads to. He needs a massive dose of reality before it's too late. Good luck xxx
So he's an alcoholic, it's a disease that he will always have and the only way to manage it is if he admits he has a problem and decides for himself to go and get help to manage it. Usually it will take a big wake up call, like you kicking him out, and then he'll either realise he has a problem or continue to deny it and lose his family. Nothing you say will change him, he has to make that move. Contact Alanon (for family who live with an alcoholic) They will give u guidance and help u understand the disease. Good luck