It is not easy living with an alcoholic husband but then isn’t marriage all about being there for each other through thick or thin; what if he changes wouldn’t you regret your decision if you divorced. However there are cases in which the alcoholic never changes his habit and his behavior towards the wife just gets worse. These are the conflicting questions which a woman with an alcoholic husband faces. So what should she do?
Although many women face a similar problem there is no single answer to this question. There may be children involved for whom present and future needs to be planned before taking a life altering step as divorce. Even if there are no children and the husband is the only earner, then what will the wife do for a living.
First try to figure out the reasons he picked up drinking. If it is financial stress or some psychological problem in which case try talking to the adults and children in the family to help through love and support instead of anger. Telling him that he has an alcohol problem will never work as all alcoholics live in denial thinking that they have their drinking in control until something drastic or unfortunate happens as a result of which they realize very late. If you are the lucky few whose husband accepts that he has a problem then there is hope for your family. Persuade him to join an AA group or to consult a therapist. If you see that he is making the efforts and changing, stop thinking about leaving him and love him and nurture him the same way if he had an illness.
However if he refuses to accept that there is a problem and he has to change then there is nothing much you can do. Life unfortunately will keep becoming unbearable when he is drunk, his abusive behavior will become worse, children will be affected and might turn out to be like him. Perhaps the only way to make him realize that he is ruining his health and the entire family’s future is to leave him. However this does not mean that you divorce him instantly; try going away with your kids to a place he does not know, maybe some friend or relative who will co-operate in this situation.
Now if he still does not show any change in his behavior, you have no option but to divorce him for the sake of your future and your children.
Should I divorce my alcoholic husband is the confusion in the minds of all women in such situations. To answer the question should I divorce my alcoholic husband you of course must think about the future well being of your children but you also owe yourself a respectful life.