Spouse Enabling Inventory – SEI

Told amusing stories about others who drank a lot

Spoken admiringly of the ability of others to hold their drink

Had the drinker’s car repaired after an alcohol-related accident

Paid fines for drunk driving offenses

Bailed the drinker out of jail because of a drink-related offense

Returned beer bottles and/or collected and washed glasses used for drinking by the drinker

Suggested that the drinker attend activities where alcohol was to be served

Invited friends over to drink

Gone to bars with the drinker

Bought alcohol and kept it in the home

Served alcohol with meals or snacks

Helped the drinker find his/her things lost while drunk

Provided the drinker with clean clothes after he/she soiled them due to use of alcohol

Gone to drinking parties with the drinker

Arranged parties where alcohol was served and which were attended by the drinker

Made hangover remedies

Cleaned up alcohol-related messes (e.g., spilled drinks, vomit, urine)

Tended to the drinker’s alcohol-related injuries

Put the drinker to bed when he/she has been drinking

Avoided social contact with friend to cover up the drinking

Avoided relationships with neighbors and others who might drop in, to cover up the drinking

Avoided social contact with the extended family to cover up the drinking

Encouraged children to be silent about the drinking

Called the drinker’s place of employment to say he/she was sick when he/she could not or would not go to work because of the drinking

Taken responsibility for awakening the drinker the morning after a night of drinking so that he/she would not be late for work

Canceled appointments and social engagements for the drinker because of his/her drinking

Made excuses for the drinker’s behavior when he/she was drunk or had been drinking

Taken responsibility for keeping his/her drinks cold (e.g., beer, wine, mixers)

Spoken admiringly of the drinker’s ability to hold his/her drink

Bought devices especially for the drinker such as shot glasses, bottle openers, drinking glasses

Said the drinker behaved better when drinking (e.g., easier to get along with)

Offered drinks to the drinker

Given him/her something to eat when he/she got drunk to reduce the effects of the drinking

Explained, justified, or made excuses to others for the drinker’s drinking

Explained, justified, or made excuses to others for the drinker’s drinking

Reassured the drinker that his/her inappropriate and/or embarrassing behavior when under the influence of alcohol was not all that bad

Comforted the drinker about his/her feelings of guilt about drinking

Said to the drinker or others that the amount of alcohol drunk was less than actually was drunk

Softened or covered up the obvious signs of alcohol abuse (e.g., blackouts, tremors, puffy face, bloodshot eyes, hangovers)

Minimized the seriousness of the drinking (e.g., ignored it, said it was not a problem, said the drinker could control it when he/she could not)

Minimized the consequences of drinking

Concealed his/her drinking from others

Cut down on household expenses (e.g., groceries) to provide drinking money for the drinker

Given the drinker money for drinking

Consumed alcoholic beverages with the drinker

Told the drinker it was OK with you that he/she drank

Suggested the drinker that he/she have a drink