Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

family intervention

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

    family intervention

    I have had a drinking problem for a couple of years now (if not more, and just did not realize it). I have done "better" on and off during this time. But in the end, this is what happens: I have a few solid nights of WAY too much to drink (don't remember getting my kids to bed, etc)...then I'll attend a family function where, because I am nervous I will drink too much, will drink myself in to oblivion. On New Years Eve at my brother's house, I don't remember much after 6 although we stayed until nine. As my family reported to me today, I could barely stand up and my 5 year old was sitting next to me on the couch saying "mom, you need to get up." I think what was most apparent to my family is that he wasn't too shocked by this. It doesn't happen everyday, but probably a few times a month or more I would guess it does. The sad thing is, I really don't know becuase on those nights I drink so much I don't remember.

    So of course I woke up Jan 1, realizing I did not remember the party (we walked, btw), and then my son came out and told me how I was making no sense as I put him to bed. This is the first time I've really had to admit that they know I am "out of it" , as during the other times I have not known when it was I got so drunk - before I put them to bed or after.

    Now, my family (including my ex-husband whom they called the next day), which has spoken to me about this before, came over tonite. They were sort of split between saying I can't see my kids again until I go to an in-patient rehab, or saying they want to see me quit for 60 days. They made me agree on 60 days, and promised at least on person will be checking on my every night.

    The sad part is, I woke up New Years Day and really told myself, that had to be rock bottom. I made lists of what i would do etc. And who knows if it would have worked. But now my family is dictating to me how it is going to be, or I lose my kids. So I HAVE to do this, and I agree it's not such a bad idea. I am tired of waking up every morning w/the first thought- "do I remember last nite?", "who did i call?" ... sometimes the answer is fine, I remember it all. And sometimes I don't remember anything past 7.

    I guess I'm looking for some support, and some ideas about how I am going to suddenly go AF. It must start tomorrow. I am so humiliated I can't even tell you. Apparently they even brought my children in to part of the conversation, so tomorrow when they are back from their dad's I must face them as well.

    I would appreciate any advice!

    #2
    family intervention

    Hope,

    Please download MWO's book and start reading it. It may give you some real hope and some good ideas for how to go AF.

    60 days is a really good goal for you. Personally I think 90 would be better.

    I am one of those who cannot moderate, so my goal is complete AF, but only you can decide. However, as a mommy, you do need to be responsible for your child and you know it. There are many single mommies on here. You are not alone.

    Read and post. We will all help you as much as you let us.

    Good luck and :welcome:

    Cindi
    AF April 9, 2016

    Comment


      #3
      family intervention

      Hi Hope,
      Please just do what you have to do, seriously, whatever it takes to get you and keep you sober. No amount of drink is worth losing your kids over.

      Love and strength to you,

      Starlight Impress x

      Comment


        #4
        family intervention

        Hi Hope,
        I agree with Star. You need to be very Honest, with yourself and decide whether you can commit to quit drinking right now today on your own with the help pf MWO or any other program or if you honestly need to go to rehab.

        Not only is custody of your children at stake here, but from the sounds of it, there very safety, health and well being are at stake. This is very serious.

        As Cindy mentioned, I encourage you to downlad the MWO book, it will help you, but the bottom line is that no drugs, or supplements or good intentions can make you stop drinking in and of themselves. You also need to be completely comitted to changing your life.

        I wish you strength and clarity, and I wish you success!
        KateH
        A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes~Cinderella

        AF 12/6/2007

        Comment


          #5
          family intervention

          I walk your walk...with the kids and blackouts and all of it...i am still married....i totally understand...i pray for you and yours ...this place has been a huge blessing for me...it has been such a huge part of my journey....stick around and read all you can...welcome...buckle

          Comment


            #6
            family intervention

            Hey Hope,

            Well, it sounds like this has gotten to a very serious level when the family has sat down and decided what to do without consulting with you and decided about your future. How long has this been going on....your struggle? Must be some time I am assuming. I would try to be HONEST with them... and most importantly, with yourself and ask for help...get help, and open up, if you can to anything that is necessary to get what is important to you right now and I am assuming that would be those beautiful children...

            Best of luck to you...and please let us know how it goes, and I to HOPE for your success.

            GO

            Comment


              #7
              family intervention

              I am the Blackout queen in Iceland.
              I know everysingle thing you talked about. I have done s.... scandals both down town or in familie gathering. And I believe you , the day after horror is the worst feeling in the world. Have to meet familie members and the discuss your problem and talk about what you did, yes I have been there. What can a woman do, yes it is to give up. Just give up and say you have a problem and you want to stop. It is piece that comes after giving up. Fighting can be tireding .
              Good luck and I think about you in my prayers tonight.
              Regards from the land of snow

              Comment


                #8
                family intervention

                It sounds like your family is doing something that could be helpful if it pushes you to do something about your drinking problem. and it sounds like your child may be in danger...

                Apart from all this though, what do you yourself feel you need? Would inpatient treatment be good? or alternatively, is there a good outpatient program available nearby where you live?

                I guess I am worried that your focus goes so much on your family and the shame, that you will miss the self-motivation, which is so important for making a change.

                So apart from what they are making you do... what program do you think would be most effective? Can you do some research? Some people have written about rehabs on these bulletin boards. There also seem to be some effective medications and you can read about these on the bulletin boards and in the book My Way Out. 60 days would be great but it's also challenging and you are going to need a lot of support and you need to keep yourself motivated. I hope you keep coming back here and that you be your own ally in all this.

                You may feel badly now, but if you give it up for a while you probably willl feel a whole lot better. Alcohol causes depression or makes it much worse. When you quit drinking, you look physically and mentally healthier. That's the bright side to all this!

                Hang in there.

                Comment


                  #9
                  family intervention

                  Hope,
                  I am a true believer that you can't do this for anyone else, except for yourself and your children.
                  Your kids are to the point that they know what is going on, or at least that your behavior is not 'normal' (whatever that means).
                  There are many posts here from members being raised with overdrinking parents. Read them, decide what kind of childhood you want for your kids, and realize you have the power to make it what you wish.
                  Stay with us. This is a great group.

                  Dx
                  * * I love Determinator * *

                  Comment


                    #10
                    family intervention

                    Hope,

                    Nancy and Determinatrix really posted some very good thoughts.

                    I hope you read them.

                    Please let us know how you are doing.

                    Cindi
                    AF April 9, 2016

                    Comment


                      #11
                      family intervention

                      my thoughts ..

                      Hi everyone,

                      Thanks for the encouragement and words of wisdom. Yes, I did realize on my own new years day that I had to stop drinking for the sake of my kids. My son told me of some of my antics of the night before and I think that is when i really hit home to my how much I am hurting them.

                      I think the biggest shame comes from the fact the my family probably now believes I do drink like that frequently or even every night. Thankfully this is not at all the case, more common is that I am sober enough (but not completely sober) to read them their bedtime stories and put them to bed, clean the house, etc as all parents do. My biggest problem had been the social drinking. Since I know my family is worried about my drinking, when we are together I know they are watching me. So everytime I'm near a wine bottle and no is looking, I'll chug my whole glass and re-fill it quickly. And then the problems begin...

                      Last year I did get all the MWO stuff from this website, including the CDs, books, vitamins. I also ordered Topomax from India. It was helpful but I didn't stick with it. I took the meds and vitamins but could not get into the hypno at all - no matter how many times I tried I always felt awake. And I did not stick w/the excercise regimen, which I think for me was the most critical as I have always been an active person but now with the drinking I haven't had the energy.

                      So what I am thinking is to find a real, live therapist here in town (well, I had been thinking that New Years Day but now my family has demanded it). I want a real person to try to hynotize me. Also, I'm going to start doing more excercising.

                      This brings me to a question - should I pay for the therapist w/my insurance or pay for it myself? I do have the funds to pay for it myself if need be. I don't want this on some offical "track record" and as I understand it, i will be. Is that right?

                      This morning I am feeling scared about making it the 60 days. I know i need to do that to change my habits but it is overwhelming to think that one slip up is all it will take. I'm not worried right now about the desire to get drunk any time soon, I am more worried about using that as a rationale to sneak out and buy some wine. Then, when family checks in in the evening and they smell wine on my breath...

                      Well enough for now, I apologize for writing quite so much. I type a lot at work so I can say a whole lot very quickly!

                      Thanks again everyone,
                      Hope

                      Comment


                        #12
                        family intervention

                        Hope,

                        Glad your back to shed more light on your situation. It is extremely hard to relax and enjoy a social event when you feel like you are being watched constantly regarding your drinking. Nobody wants to feel judged in this situation. Have you shared that feeling with your family? How well equipped are they to help you, and do you want their help? It is also extremely difficult being a single parent....very stressful.

                        As far as paying for the therapist yourself, I would pay for it myself if I had the means to do so.

                        Changing your habits takes a lot of work, and I would suggest working on the most important one first with all it takes....you will start to feel so much better and begin to have more energy to move forward with the others.

                        Best of luck. ...

                        Comment


                          #13
                          family intervention

                          Hope,

                          You could ask the potential therapist if they would consider a different diagnosis than alcoholism? I am not sure if depression or whatever is any better.. but..

                          What you don't want to do is what I did for months and months. Not get a therapist when I knew I needed it.

                          Hang in there and try to go AF for now.

                          We all know what you are going through.

                          Cindi
                          AF April 9, 2016

                          Comment


                            #14
                            family intervention

                            :welcome: Hope

                            Thank you so much for sharing your story, I too realized that drinking had done nothing for my life but caused problems. I don't have children but I do identify with family members that have been extremely appalled by my drunken behavior. Today is when I decided that I can't drink because I am sick of being sick and tired of the "drunken episodes". It's so exhausting:upset:

                            I would love to join in with you on your AF Day count and help each other, as well as other people who have a struggle with this. If you can go to therapy, do it, therapy is a good thing. I will be looking into seeing a therapist and hope that I will be able to overcome this because my drunken episodes are getting real old and it's gotten to the point where no one wants to hang around me, lost jobs, boyfriends(although I am in a relationship right now but that's another story I will share with you another time, he too has issues with drinking)
                            I too, had checked out MWO last August and had posted a few messages, started running again, was AF for 17 days and then my brain would convince me that one glass of wine would be okay, yeah right, next thing you know it turns into two bottles of wine and then I am sure you can guess what happens and sometimes (mostly) it spirals down into a out of control drinking binge....very exhausting. The longest I have been sober was for 90 days, but again same story as before. I think staying active is really important, I am a runner myself and will run a 10K this weekend as start of the New Year and I might train for the Los Angeles marathon, but my number one goal is to quit drinking.

                            Anywho, welcome and thank you again for sharing your story, it was very inspiring...I believe we can all overcome this. There is alot of great people on this site and also check out the chat line too. Please keep us posted and know that you me, as well as the wonderful people on this site are in your corner in winning this battle

                            Big hugs,
                            Janet :h
                            AF Day 1 (actually 8:00pm tonite but I am very confident that I will achieve this)
                            AF Since May 2nd 2012

                            Comment


                              #15
                              family intervention

                              Hope,
                              If you believe that you drink to help you cope with certain issues than I would talk about those issues. I am not suggesting that you omit the overdrinking in counseling, but just to start. If you approach with your counselor that you want to deal with anxiety, depression (like Cindi stated above), or just want to talk and learn a few things about yourself that could be a way to start. If you find a counselor you like and trust, then share the overdrinking part.

                              Just a suggestion.

                              Let us know how you are,
                              Dx
                              * * I love Determinator * *

                              Comment

                              Working...
                              X