A Former Amway Wife Speaks Out

June 1998

I have left my husband of four years-- the man I love more than anything in this world.

I am positive my story is not a unique one, nor am I the only person suffering because of Amway. I found myself searching for someone who might understand.

My husband's boss came over one day about 2 years ago to "show us something". I didn't like what I saw then--and I hate the person it turned my husband into. I watched as we lost friends and our home. My family asked us less and less frequently to come visit. Then in utter horror [I watched] as he tried to "contact" [recruit for Amway] someone at my eleven-year-old sister's funeral.

I endured two years of being called "negative", "unsupportive", "non-Christian", and basically a bad wife--by both my husband and his "upline". I finally told him he had to choose [between Amway] and me--even if he only stopped for 6 months. I had already packed--because I knew which was more important to him.

Now I sit feeling sick at what my life has turned into-- wondering if I am wrong. I never doubted my decisions before. I went from being an outgoing person to practically a recluse. I have panic attacks--because of [this experience] and have withdrawn increasingly from the things I once enjoyed.

I do believe I started writing this with a point in mind. I was wondering if there were specific support groups for people in a situation similar to this? I can't seem to find one--though I have run into several other people whose stories are frighteningly identical to mine.

We all seem to ask the same questions:

• Is there any hope?
• What have I done to make him/her want to be away from me so much?
• Can we financially bounce back?

The list is long. I would love to be able to help answer these questions, but all I can say is--"I know what you are going through". All I can do is read, listen and get more and more frustrated at having lost so much of my life. I don't think there is any hope for my marriage.

How did they [people involved in Amway] get so good at this? How can they sleep at night? And since they can--why can't I?

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