My husband is getting out of a 6 month drug rehab program on Friday. I want to know if it is ok to allow him to drink alcohol or not. Alcohol was never a problem foe him, cocaine was his only addiction. I do not drink very often. I will maybe have 1 or 2 drinks every couple of months. I just wanted to know if I should ban all alcohol from our home? I just need some guidance on this one. Serious, helpful answers please.
2007-10-29 12:47:58 · 9 answers · asked by kat 2 in Health ➔ Diseases & Conditions ➔ Other - Diseases
I am a recovering cocaine addict. I drink every now and again.
But I did not drink at all for the first few months after rehab. And I do not ever have more than 1 or 2 drinks. The times that I did go further than that ... you guessed it, my judgment was so impaired that I ended up finding a way to get high.
So I would say it's better to go without at first, then keep it in moderation. Or, if he's shaky, he may want to abstain forever.
More important than the rules you set down is your attitude toward him. You can't make every decision for him. When my husband came out of rehab -- he was an alcoholic -- his counselor told me something I've always remembered: "Allow him the dignity of his own recovery."
p.s. Around the house, I would worry more about painkillers, tranquilizers, even cold medicines. A lot of recovering cocaine addicts turn to downers -- like, if I can't feel that euphoria all the time like I used to, I'll just sleep life away. I did that for the first six months or so, and it kept me from really recovering.
2007-10-29 13:00:52 · answer #1 · answered by Donna 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No. Alcohol was never a problem for him before because his drug of choice at the time was cocaine.
Alcohol is a drug and it's addicting. A lot of recovering addicts (doesn't matter what used to be their drug of choice) think they can still safely use alcohol but it takes no time at all for them to use the alcohol as a substitute for their previous drug. Recovery means that they need to learn different ways to handle situations and problems that lead them to the drug use in the first place. Addicts use drugs to cover up/numb pain in their lives. Now they have to learn how to work through their problems instead of turning to drugs.
He's been told this (over and over again) in rehab so don't let him try to con you on this.
And I suggest that you begin going to Al-Anon. It's for the family/friends of addicts (yes, you can go even though he's not an alcoholic). Please believe me....you DO need help in dealing with this, too. Recovery involves the entire family.
http://www.al-anon.alateen.org/
Best wishes.
2007-10-29 13:01:00 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Best word of advice is to band all alcohol from the house, and pray that you and your husbands desire, want, need, just for occasions, just becauses ...for alcohol (and his cocaine desire), completely be removed from your hearts and minds and life.
If he had a cocaine addiction, and substitute it for alcohol, then eventually that alchohol is not going to be enough for him anymore, and he will eventually go back to his cocaine addiction. I had seen this happen over and over again with my husband. He had a repeated cycle of going to get treatment, sobering up for 6months to a year or so.... and then he would start back drinking alchohol, and we had countless arguements about the fact that I believed that the alcohol triggered his taste and desire for the crack-cocaine.... (No matter what the drug...including alcohol...it's all addictive....even cigarettes)..I shared with him over and over, that he just could not drink at all in order to get over that sick/sad addiction.... Key things: A person has to really want to lay down an addiction, they have to have a made up mind to win that fight, it's not an easy thing to do, but it can be done!! I am a true and living witness! It can be Beaten! I had to take the word and knock that demon down!
So he eventually had to leave it all alone altogether, and Praise God! he is no longer addicted to anything!
You ever notice someone who stops smoking cigarettes, well they turn to soda's, sweets, and food.....well when they get so use to those things, and so addicted to those, they eventually will go back to their cigarette habits.....(it just always get to the point where those substitutes are not enough).... It's like that saying ... "You Can't Beat the Real thing"........
the best thing to do is to fight off all the triggers and substitutes with prayer, discipline, meetings, and time.
I learned that even my little drinking on beer every now and then, or keeping it around the house, or in the icebox had to cut out.... I was actually not being considerate of his needs, and his recoveries, and I was being in some sense.... selfish and foolish.... I use to think...."well I am not the one with the problem....so why do I need to quit all together"..... that was very selfish.... and I got wiser and closer to God, and I knew that it was not the right thing to do or think......... So it was no longer brought into the house...."out of sight...out of mind"......
But only with God, prayer, and time.... "It truly takes a lot of discipline and perserverance.....
I pray that this helps you out.
I hope the Best for you and your husband
Take care of you!
4 Real Peace
2007-10-29 13:25:11 · answer #3 · answered by 4 Real Peace 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
person cocaine addict drink alcohol occasionally rehab
2016-02-03 16:47:47 · answer #4 · answered by Edgar 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Do Not Drink or do drugs this will not help either of you!!!
drugs/drinking can effect your outcome
make these things UN-available to you
get support from family/ friends anyone who you Can talk to.
There are sponsors just ask for info
take on a hobby...become a collector ...anything so these 2 things can not control you
read--> A million pieces a good book--OK it maybe it's 1/2 fake but you can see how hard it is to stop any addictions
good luck many blessings
2007-10-29 13:53:33 · answer #5 · answered by ocnbrez2003 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Drug abuse is a compulsive behavior, as is alcohol abuse, problem gambling and sex abuse. It is critical that whatever behavior he engages in that he maintain full control and not start doing anything in excess. I would suggest that he stay away from all drugs (alcohol is a drug) and I would almost guarantee that his rehab program would hold the same position. If I had a compulsive recovering addict in my home, I would remove all temptation rather than continuously test their strength.
2007-10-29 13:01:58 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
the risk that he could trade one addiction for another is pretty high. To be on the safe side, I would remove all alcohol from the house.
2007-10-29 12:52:01 · answer #7 · answered by essentiallysolo 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
"when we substitute one for another(any drug or drink) we realize our addictions all over again". go with him to meetings for 90 days and then if he wants to drink you wont be able to stop him. if you don't know much about addiction go to nar-anon or other groups, you'll find others like you. that is my advice.
2007-10-29 12:58:40 · answer #8 · answered by sheilasays 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Haven't thought about that
2016-07-30 06:13:27 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋