I have a friend who I told me at Xmas that she had a drinking problem, but I didn't hear much more about it. She told me her partner had stopped alcohol from being brought into the house. A few weeks ago now, he got home from work after a late shift and found my friend unconscious, with her two little boys completely unsupervised and utterly bewildered. She then admitted to the world that she has a problem, and saw her Dr, but since then she seems to have given up all semblance of control, and has given up looking after the kids, and has to be babysat at all times. She is getting blind drunk every day. It's going to be a while before she can do a detox, and as her friends and family, we just can't cope with this any more. The kids are crying all the time, and scared stiff, coz all we can tell them is that mammy is ill. And we can't be with her 24/7, but we can't trust her to take care of the kids. I've been through this before, and have serious doubts that my friends problems can be solved by a week of valium. Everybody seems to think that all they have to do is get my friend to do a detox and she'll be back to normal. They are hanging all their hopes on this detox, but nobody seems to grasp that this is going to be a long road. I have over come an addiction myself, but that took years before I finally closed the door on it for good.
How can I help her, and help her family, without making things worse. All her family are doing is enabling her, but since there are kids involved, we can't just leave her to it, and put her in the hands of the professionals, which is what I'd like to do.
thanks for listening
mg
Hi mg.
Has the family contacted AA .They may be able to send someone out to talk to your friend. If she would agree. Though the stigma of being alcoholic frightens some more than seeing people dying before there own eyes.
It really sounds like your friend needs detox or probably a rehab now where they can keep an eye on her as she withdraws. As sieges are possible. I cant say much more without it becoming more personal especially with the detox. But you sound like a great friend to have and theres always hope I see miracles happen every day. "Your one"
Alcoholism is a family disease and affects up to 16 people immediately around the alcoholic. I was almost in the same situation as your friend though I am male. There was a wife (and still is) and four children the youngest 4 years old everyone was affected by my drinking. And that would take a life time to talk about but I ended up in a rehab where I was given help. And 14 years later I have not needed to drink or drug and my entire family are together and getting on with there own lives and life could not be better.
Like you said things wont happen overnight it takes a long time for some to get sick.(sick not bad.) so it may take time to recover.
You, your friend and her family will be in my prayers.
I wish I could be more helpful...God Bless
Lionel
Has the family contacted AA .They may be able to send someone out to talk to your friend. If she would agree. Though the stigma of being alcoholic frightens some more than seeing people dying before there own eyes.
It really sounds like your friend needs detox or probably a rehab now where they can keep an eye on her as she withdraws. As sieges are possible. I cant say much more without it becoming more personal especially with the detox. But you sound like a great friend to have and theres always hope I see miracles happen every day. "Your one"
Alcoholism is a family disease and affects up to 16 people immediately around the alcoholic. I was almost in the same situation as your friend though I am male. There was a wife (and still is) and four children the youngest 4 years old everyone was affected by my drinking. And that would take a life time to talk about but I ended up in a rehab where I was given help. And 14 years later I have not needed to drink or drug and my entire family are together and getting on with there own lives and life could not be better.
Like you said things wont happen overnight it takes a long time for some to get sick.(sick not bad.) so it may take time to recover.
You, your friend and her family will be in my prayers.
I wish I could be more helpful...God Bless
Lionel
