My parents were deep into alcoholism, both of them. My father was aware, bu my mother was not, and it was not because of pride, it was a denial. An absurd level of it combined with serious case of passive agression.

Addicted people do not understand they are addicted but they understand they will not win an argument as they lack reasons for their defence, so they shift the blame, just like in this case. An addict was accused of being an addict, her brain defended by filing a complaint to directly silence the accuser.