Life with an Addict

the fighting

I always knew when my husband had gambled his money away. When he came home you could see the rage in his eyes. I would have to be careful what I said or even how I said things because he was looking for a reason to yell at me and would find fault with the simplest things. I guess this was his way of taking the heat off of him. Eventually I clammed up because I was just so tired of the yelling.
When I did say anything about the money he spent he'd tell me he was leaving and for the next few days he'd ramble on about whatever I wasn't doing right and say that I didn't love him. It was too hard on my son so I just kept quiet. He never did leave.
The hardest part for me was always the time his addiction stole from us. My son was often late for pratices or parties because his father would never come home from gambling in time to take him. Holidays were often spent alone and I remember one anniversary in particular that I spent playing cards with my son and my husband's friend. My husband was off gambling and when he did return he went to bed for the rest of the day.