Alcohol Abuse Advice

Question by kat k: Need some serious advice regarding alcoholic parents…?
My mother and father have been alcoholics for as long as I can remember. Growing up I was the mom of the house, taking care of my younger siblings while my mom had a hangover 2-3 times a week, dealing with her emotional outbursts, helping her if she fell…you know, all of that.

Despite this I am relatively well adjusted and just last year after I turned 22, I had moved out and decided for my younger brother and sister’s sake something had to be done, once and for all. I staged an intervention. After all the drama, my parents agreed they had to stop- but they wanted to stop without “help” and quit drinking cold turkey. So a year went by with no alcohol, with the exception of christmas, and now the past 2 weeks I have found beer in their fridge outside.

I am moving to Chicago in less than 2 months now… Part of me wants to say, Fine keep doing it if you don’t want to stop I can’t stop you and nothing can. But the other part says, You can’t give up now… I will be leaving behind my sister, 13, who is … well, EXTREMELY effected by this drinking.

So what do I do? Do I say something again, do I leave it alone? I hate this feeling! I am so upset : (
DDlynn you couldn’t be more right- that’s the thing. My mom stays at home all day with no job and nothing to do- she shops mostly. I think the boredom and lack of responsibility is a lot of the problem here. My dad has had the same job for over 30 years and is more of an enabler…

Best answer:

Answer by Gigi’sMom
You need to go to Al-Anon
However, leaving your 13 year old sister is tough on you. Talk to your parents again and tell them how concerned you are re your sister but would like to get on with your life.
Go to an Al-Anon meeting and discuss this with them and find out what they would suggest as well!

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