Testimonial . . .
My parents are alcoholics. Sounds like something you would stand up and say at a support group meeting for family members of alcoholics.
I can’t say when it was that I realized my parents were alcoholics. Maybe it wasn’t so much that I didn’t know, but when I was willing to admit it to myself. Guess I kind of went through denial too. I didn’t have a bad childhood. I never went without the things I needed. Both of my parents had to work and during the week they had a beer or two. They would always start early on the weekends. All of our vacations and weekend activities revolved around alcohol. My sisters and I spent a lot of time avoiding my parents when they had been drinking. They were never physically abusive but verbal abuse can be just as hurtful as physical. On occasions, we were surrounding boards for whatever was the cause of the argument. Did they mean what they really said or was it just the alcohol talking?
My parents have chosen to continue drinking regardless of their medications and health problems. Needless to say, their health is not good. I go home to visit about once a year. I guess my way of dealing with it is living states apart. I am sure my sisters are handling it the best way that they know. I have had some personal counseling and best thing I have heard is to just accept that, although not the best way, that my parents did the best they could with what they knew.
As I got older I found myself partying all the time. I was partying hard. One morning after a night out it hit me that I was turning out like my mom. I promised myself that I was never going to be like my parents. After that, I would go on a drinking binge every once in a while. Sometimes I’d be drunk free for a year or more. I have now been totally drunk free for almost 10 years. I can’t drink alcohol now because of current medications. And I don’t miss it at all.
Keva, 48
