Should I continue attempting to rebuild my relationship with my husband?

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My husband and I have been together going on five years but separated in August of 2014. The reason for the separation was the fact that he was constantly drinking and was becoming more aggressive and violent in his drunken rages and couldnt hold down a job. I was supporting the household (granted we dont have any kids but there were a lot of bills!) Since he left to live in a different city, he and I have stayed in contact with each other. He has been doing a lot better, currently working 13 plus hours a day 6 days a week. He purchased his own car, has been paying his bills, and has been handling his drinking issue. He has been going to A.A. meetings and has shown a lot of progress and improvement. The feelings I had for him on the day I married him are still present and always have been. I am a little nervous about getting back with him as there are prior instances of D.V. due to over indulgence of alcohol. I have told him that if there is any chance of us ever working out, the alcohol has got to stay gone. I gave up drinking a long time ago and in the last 3 years have had maybe 10 drinks(usually a glass of wine at a dinner party and thats it). I have no problem continuing on my end the not drinking, but it honestly does make me nervous to a point. But at the same time I miss and love him terribly. What are your thoughts and opinions on this? I would appreciate any input and feedback! Thank you!

Category: Tags: asked May 26, 2015

3 Answers

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accepted
I think everyone deserves a second chance. Especially if they are getting help. He may not be as good as little miss 10 drinks! Lol but at least he took some classes to help him figure out what to do to stop drinking. I say go for it, you both deserve it!
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It sounds like he is really trying to put himself right. If the feelings are still there and you genuinely believe he is going too keep working at keeping off the alcohol then its worth a try. Maybe he is still dealing with this but maybe your support and showing your care will give him that extra boost to be able to completely stop and realise what he lost and how much he wants you. Maybe just take it slow and don't jump back into the relationship too fast as you don't want any of the violence too happen again. But sounds like he is improving so you have to go with your feelings and trust towards him. Hope things all work out for you! Feel free to message me if you ever want a chat about anything :)
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Keep in mind that you are under no obligation to get back together with him, no matter how much improvement he makes with his drinking problem. He put his hands on you, and violence is always 100% unacceptable in a relationship. If he is doing better on his own, then it may be better for him to continue being on his own. If the only reason he is showing improvement is so that he can return to you, then his effort will likely not be continued if and when he returns. His progress should not be for you, not even for the two of you, it should be for himself.

As a resource, I recommend "Powerless No Longer: Reprogramming Your Addictive Behavior" by Peter W. Soderman. AA helps fewer than 10% of people who enter the program. That means 90% of people who enter the program end up relapsing and often getting worse than before!

Keep the talks open, and discern his motivations, but keep an eye to your personal needs as well. If you find that you do not want to rekindle the relationship, then listen to that voice within yourself and explore the reason why.

If you'd like to discuss this further, my inbox is always open at blahtherapy.com/members/blackholehead