Should putting my alcoholic husband in jail for 9 months make him stop drinking alcohol?

I gotta agree with the majority here. I've got over 10 years sobriety & if he doesn't wanna quit, he won't. NO amount of forcing AA on him or jail time or anything else. He's gotta hit rock bottom, hon. Your plan won't work. How bout a family intervention?

Don't waste your time planning a fake incident in a misguided (but loving) attempt to make him quit drinking. Unless he's ready to quit drinking, he will quit for the nine months he's in jail and head straight for a bar or the liquor store when he is released.

Take it from an alcoholic 20 years sober, January 1, 2010, no alcoholic quits until they hit bottom. Bottom changes for every drunk; but, everyone has their own and until they reach it nothing changes.

Some need to be in very dire straits before they decide they need to quit - homeless, sick, friendless, jobless, almost mindless. Some people don't hit bottom until they die.

I didn't get that far personally; but, there are many things I have apologized for and many things I wish I could do over. However, no one and nothing stopped me drinking until I was ready to quit.

I only mention my own addiction so you will know that I am speaking from experience.

While you can't force him to quit; what you can do is to not enable him. When he upsets you - tell him. When he misses the child's soccer game - hold him accountable. Don't make apologies or excuses for him - tell the truth. If he lands in jail - don't bail him out.

In short, do not allow him to use you as a shield to continue his addiction behind. Enablers think they make things better for the addict; but, all they do is make the path a little clearer for them to continue their destructive ways.

Alcoholism is difficult to treat. It is a lifetime battle. If one isn't willing to be 110% committed to quitting, then that person will not be able to quit.

9 months drying out won't mean the potential isn't there for a recurrence. Many dried out alcoholics fall off the wagon multiple times. The difference between success and failure is whether they are willing to keep on getting up, dusting themselves off, and climbing right back up on that wagon.

It won't work....and, it is pretty dangerous playing with anothers life, please be careful.