Leah suffered from denial for years while living with someone whose drinking became a progressively more significant problem. She describes it like living in the middle of a tornado and refusing to acknowledge the storm. From early days of dating, though her wedding day, and even when her husband decided he needed to stop drinking, Leah ignored all of the red flags because alcoholism couldn't possibly happen to her. And when her husband got sober, that's when the denial really ramped up. She was sure sobriety would fix everything. It all came crashing down, and her denial left her totally unprepared. Now Leah faces reality head on, and she makes three really significant points that the loved ones of alcoholics really must understand.

If you love or loved an alcoholic, and your recovery could benefit from connection with people who understand, please check out our Echoes of Recovery program.