Hey Lil, Just wanted to add one more thing about the recovering addict angle. I think that people like you and me--who do not suffer from an addiction--would freak if we knew what horrors lie within the mind of an addict. I just watched my dad die of alcohol related health problems and it was terrible. I have often wondered over the years just how many times he tried to quit drinking. It must have numbered in the tens of thousands. Every day, probably. One thing I know for certain is that he adored his daughters and my mother and, of course, farming. He begged us to bring him dirt (dirt!) when in the hospital this last time. And he gave all that up for that terrible mind/body pull that alcohol had over him.
The fact that your bf beat it and has been sober for 2 years is nothing short of a miracle. Do you validate it in any way? I'm not sure what al anon would say to do..too much praise and they'll get cocky and think that "one" isn't going to hurt, not enough and they'll wonder why they're going thru it.
My dad quit for 2 years while he was going through cancer treatment, about 15 years ago. It wasn't cold turkey though..he was using the O'Douls as a crutch, big time. However, I remember those days as the Golden Years of our family. We were all so close and finally gelled, without the constant cloud of alcohol hovering over us.
Anyway, no real advice to offer, just wanted to add that his experiences as a recovering addict are far more harrowing than we can imagine.
