She got a 1.75 L bottle of gin (which she doesn't really like) last month. She's been mixing it with ginger ale with a slice of lemon every time she gets a little upset.
The bottle is nearly gone.
I offered to get her something she likes because she tends to stretch that a bit more to make it last longer, and she said "The gin works fine, and best of all, it's cheap and comes in a big bottle."
Our male genetic donor is an alcoholic as well as being a verbally, emotionally, physically, and sexually abusive bastard, and our mother (whom I dearly love, but hold no illusions about how good of a parent she is) has a weak-willed, addictive personality.
My sister seems to have inherited both (alcoholism, and weak-willed, addictive personality) in full. I won't say I haven't inherited the gene that makes one prone to alcoholism, but I am wary of the alcohol.
And there's not a damn thing I can do.
28 minutes ago
The first step to recovery is to admit you have a problem. My dad has been sober for like the last 20 years. I am proud of him. My brother has an issue but not real bad, but I have not take to him in like 6 years.
ReplyDeleteI only drink once or twice a year.
She knows she has a problem. She doesn't see anything she can do about it--she can't find a psychiatrist that can help her (disregarding that she doesn't do anything to even attempt to help herself), so she drinks. More and more all the time.
ReplyDeleteI still have the bottle of really good bourbon Odysseus brought me back from a trip to Kentucky before the imp was born. I don't really have much of a drinking problem. I have anger issues and stupid people problems.
Alcoholism can be 'cured' with marijuana......
ReplyDeleteShe's allergic to it.
DeleteI think the operating principle is "not a damn thing I can do about it." Unless she says "I want help, and I want you to help me get help," any damn thing you do try may well be met with resistance and anger. It sucks like hell but that's how life often is. People who are in full-on helplessness mode often resent the attempts of others to pull them out of it.
ReplyDeleteOr at least that's what I've seen.
You have my sympathy.
Yeah, any attempt to offer any kind of help in any part of her (or my mom's) life is often met with hostility.
DeleteI've long since quit trying. I wish I could quit worrying.