The society won't come right out and recommend AA or "worldly" counseling, true. But they came as close as they probably ever will, with an article in the Awake of December 8, 1982, entitled "Living With Alcoholism" and told by the wife of an alcoholic. Note that although the society doesn't recommend AA, they allow this sister to espouse some of the principles of AA, and to describe how she was helped by it.
"Several times he went to Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). They talked about alcoholism, but he felt he didn't need to hear that. His problems were at home, he thought. My hopes were then dashed again. I felt trapped, angry.
(She describes first herself and then her husband contemplating suicide)
"The next morning I knew I had to do something. I got in touch with AA, and they referred me to a woman in my area who had faced a similar situation. She recommended a local group made up of family members of alcoholics. So I attended some meetings.
"They helped me to see that I really couldn't blame myself for my husband's drinking. He had started before I even met him. Those in attendance seemed to be in control of themselves. They were cheerful and openly discussed their feelings. They lived one day at a time. That's what I had to do! And even if the same problems were there, I had to realize that today had all the anxieties I could handle. I recalled Jesus' words at Matthew 6:34: "Never be anxious about the next day, for the next day will have its own anxieties."
..."as I listened to them talk about living with an alcoholic, I learned a number of helpful things. The most important thing I learned was this: I shouldn't shield my husband from the consequences of his drinking, as I had been doing. Instead, I had to help him realize the problems his drinking was causing. It took a great deal of strength to overcome so many years of negative thinking, but I was determined. I began applying these suggestions.
..."on one occasion some months later, he drank all night. But when he got up the next day he asked me to take him to the hospital. He couldn't take it any longer. I had him call the doctor and make the arrangements. When we got to the hospital, he admitted himself and remained in therapy for two months.
"Well, several years have passed now and our life together is getting better and better. It hasn't been easy for either of us. We must constantly guard our thinking and motives.
..."Learning to take one day at a time was a big help in controlling anxiety. In particular did I benefit from learning not to shield or protect my husband from feeling the consequences of his drinking. Without such insight, I don't know what might have happened.
