Do you know someone who is/was an alcoholic?

[Lovely2CU]

A good friend of mine has been admitted to a clinic, The Priory, today for alchohol dependency. Their abstinence-based addiction treatment programme, usually incorporates a 28+ day hospital stay supported by twelve months of structured aftercare.

Do you know of anyone? Did they have any help/treatment and was it successful?

 

[AKL_Megs]

I know alcoholics who have been to JAIL and still drink.

But, I wish your friend the absoulte best of luck.

 

[happygirl]

My FIL went to a treatment center and has been sober for a long time. He still goes to his meetings.

 

[diznygirl]

A good friend of mine has been admitted to a clinic, The Priory, today for alchohol dependency. Their abstinence-based addiction treatment programme, usually incorporates a 28+ day hospital stay supported by twelve months of structured aftercare.

Do you know of anyone? Did they have any help/treatment and was it successful?

I know some of those treatment centers can drive a person to drink - I hope your friend does okay. They have to want to get sober. My father has been sober over 30 years.

 

[Bluestars]

My grandmother had a drinking problem after my grandfather died. I think she got some kind of help because she later remarried and stopped drinking.

My husband's brother died of alcoholism. Nothing ever made a difference for very long for him.

I also know an alcoholic who went to AA many, many different times. After many years of suffering, something clicked and he finally stopped drinking. It was not easy though. He relapsed about 10 years ago, stopped drinking again, and hasn't had a drink since then.

Good luck to your friend.

 

[disney1990]

My Dad was an alcoholic. He came home drunk one night and fell asleep with a cigarette in his hand. He died in the fire. I was 10 at the time and that was over 40 years ago.

 

[Pigeon]

I know several alcoholics. Some have stopped drinking, some have not, and some have died from it.

Most alcoholics make several attempts to stop drinking before it actually "takes."

 

[JessicaR]

I know alcoholics who have been to JAIL and still drink.

But, I wish your friend the absoulte best of luck.

I know two and both have been to jail for drinking and driving and worse. They both still drink.

 

[omghidanielle]

my dad says he doesn't have a problem, but he spends $100 a week on alcohol.

 

[Darsa]

I have an aunt (wife of my dad's brother) who has all my life had a drinking problem, and is now clinging to life by her nails with too many health problems to count, on top of dementia/Alzheimer's. They also allowed their children to drink from a very early age, and one of their daughters has already gone to a detox program for it.

 

[mrsstats]

My father was, he has since died. He went into rehab for 28 days, swore that he wasn't drinking anymore but it was all a lie.

My 2 cousins are recovering and have been for at least 20 years. They did rehab also. One still attends meetings all the time.

Best of luck to your friend.

 

[krcit]

My Dad was an alcoholic. He came home drunk one night and fell asleep with a cigarette in his hand. He died in the fire. I was 10 at the time and that was over 40 years ago.

I'm so sorry-that is terribly sad.




To the OP-I know quite a few alcoholics-most are in denial and still drink. I have a very close family member that quit drinking cold turkey 35 years ago and never drank again. I also have a close friend who hit rock bottom, went to rehab for a month, came home and started drinking again. She has since stopped and is attending meetings every day and is doing wonderfully. She needs the support of meetings and sponsers. I have to say the support she is recieving from the people she has met has been amazing.

 

[Stacerita]

I know someone who is an alcoholic. A functional one, so they don't seek treatment. But they can't not drink. I also know someone who is recovering and still attends AA meetings. They are over 10 years sober.

 

[My2Cinderellas]

I bet everyone knows at least one if not many people fighting an addiction of some kind.

Of my friends/family no one is near bottom right now. One in particular is doing great. A couple others are drinking too much but it hasn't gotten ugly yet.

(((hugs))) to anyone dealing with addiction.

 

[C.Ann]

My birth father was an alcoholic and died of a stroke when he was 64.. He also had a severe gambling addiction..

We're currently trying to help the DD of a close friend with her addictions and sadly, getting nowhere fast.. She's adopted - was born with fetal alcohol syndrome - and has been battling alcoholism since her early teens.. In recent months she has also become addicted to prescription pain meds - as well as illegal street drugs - and we're really fearful that she will end up dead soon..

She's been in treatment programs several times; we've done interventions with professionals; we've pleaded with her; we've bribed her; we've shunned her - you name it - and nothing works.. She's also now in a "relationship" with a drug crazed, hardened criminal - which has put all of us at serious risk - so in order to protect ourselves, we have had to cut her out of our lives completely.. (Aside from our concerns regarding our physical safety, the situation has now become one of lying and stealing as well..)

We're still there for her children - doing whatever we can to protect them and keep them safe - but she's on her own now.. It's a heartbreaking situation, but clearly one of those situations where you can't help someone who doesn't want help..

Her dad knows about my posting here - and actually asked me awhile back to start a thread here to see if anyone had any suggestions.. I knew it was pointless - because she isn't interested in overcoming her addictions - so I told him I thought he would get better advice if he attended an AA meeting.. As far as I know, he hasn't done that yet.. The poor man is too worn out from chasing her down and trying to get her out of the jams she keeps getting into - not understanding that this type of behavior on his part is actually enabling her..

It's so sad - tearing the family apart and causing rifts in friendships that may never be able to be repaired.. The most we can do now is to pray - and pray - and pray some more..

 

[melancholywings]

My grandfather and grandmother were untreated. My uncle is and has been sober for a very long time with the support of AA. When my parents died and he came up for the funeral the local AA group was there to help support him. Saddly my brother became an alcoholic after the death of my parents. There were days where it was very bad. However he met this girl, fell in love with her and she was very religious. So on his own he stopped to be with the one he loved. It's very hard, even now it is hard but he's been sober well over 10 years and has two wonderful kids. Don't give up hope.

 

[NC State]

Wow, I can't believe I'm the only "no". No one in my family drinks nor my husband's family. We are non drinkers and none of our friends drinks either.

 

[minkydog]

I know several alcoholics. Some have stopped drinking, some have not, and some have died from it.

Most alcoholics make several attempts to stop drinking before it actually "takes."

This in an important point. Most addicts/alcoholics who go into rehab will relapse several times before they get sober. It's terribly hard to get sober. Everything in your life has to change--friends, activities. Anything that prompted you to use in the past has to go. It's incredibly hard.

I know a lot of alcoholics. I met them in rehab when I was there for depression(I am not addicted, however.) We meet weekly for support and they go to AA every night of the week for the first 90 days. Even with all the support, everyone of them have relapsed at least once. And some of them several times. A few are court-ordered to rehab or go to jail. I see what they go through and it's not pretty.

My brother is a serious alcoholic. He lives on coffee and beer. He eats very little and is very malnourished. He knows he's an alcoholic but he likes his life. He likes to go to the bar with friends. So he has no intention of giving it up. His life has not become painful enough to induce change. My brother will probably die of liver disease--he's killing himself with alcohol.

 

[kacaju]

Sadly, yes. I know/knew quite a few. My Dad sobered up when my Mom kicked him out of the house and changed the locks.Once he sobered up he was allowed to come home and he never drank again. He died from cancer.
I have a friend who died and left two boys who are now 17 and 13.
My brother. We did an intervention a number of years ago, after my Dad died he started to drink again. He doesn't think he has a problem. He also doesn't talk to me because I called the cops on him because he was trying to leave our other brothers house drunk, he refused to hand over the keys, telling my SIL he has driven home worse then he was that night. My SIL called me not knowing what to do (we live in the same town) I called the police and he let my brother drive him home that night.

 

[MoniqueU]

I know quite a few. One of my good friiends just got out of detox on Weds. The rest that I know just get good lawyers for their DUI's.