ArtStudent1 wrote:

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hi, i am doing an art project on the topic of alcoholism and would love to hear any information you may want to share on personal experiences if at all possible. i don't want to be naive on the topic and thoughts from friends/ family would be great too, many thanks for any participation :) 

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 Although I wish you well in your project, I choose not to participate in your "project" ..I am sure you can you tube or do something else to get your information...

I am going to contact moderators to see if this is appropriate for this board.....

-- Edited by neshema2 on Wednesday 8th of January 2014 06:47:59 PM

No offense taken, AS1. Let me take this opportunity to say hello as a member of MIP and as a member of Al-Anon since 1979. Seeing that you have family members who suffer from alcohol dependence tells me we have a lot in common. I also have family members who are alcohol dependent - in fact this disease affects families for generations. Although we don't share our stories for papers, we do share our stories with folks who like us have also been affected by the disease in a family member or in a friend. We have learned that attending meetings, learning the steps, using Conference Approved Literature, being part of the Al-Anon fellowship and finding a sponsor helps us heal from the affects of the disease on us.
Al-Anon is not a program for people with the disease of alcoholism, but it is for those of us who have been hurt by it ourselves. We learn how to keep the focus on ourselves and on our lives and how to live serenely whether or not the person with this disease stops drinking.

Please feel free to join us as a person affected by the disease if you'd like. We always have room for someone who'd like to share their personal story with us and heal with us one day at a time although we do suggest that you attend at least 6 Al-Anon meetings, too, to decide if Al-Anon is for you.

Sending you much support and encouragement. If you have family members who have this disease, you have probably had some similar experiences to us? Thanks for your courage in reaching out to us and in sharing that you have family members affected with this disease, too.

 

 

For me Grateful's invitation to participate here is a good one as you can, from listening to the stories of others who have been affected by the disease if alcoholism and addiction, arrive at "the" picture.  We all have "our pictures" ...how it was, what we found out, what it is like now.  Please  stay and listen.   (((hugs)))  

Hi AS1,

Rose has raised a conscience issue about the fact of your posting here... that is quite a normal and natural thing to happen.

For me I am not going to make a comment on that point.... It is quite legitimate for someone to question anything on the board. But in my view, as a member, it is a good idea for a wide range of members to have some input into the question that was raised.

tradition two- For our group purpose there is but one authority- a loving God as may express himself in our group conscience. Our leaders are but trusted servants, they do not govern.

My reason for saying this stuff is that a conscience issue is raised. I think this is essential to group growth...

 Da...

Hi Art Student...

my name is David and I am a proud member of Alanon... sometimes we have students around our groups working in the field of therapy or psychology... but art! 

A new one on me. I am 63 this year and both my parents have passed. I have been in Alanon for half of my life. Recovery isn't really picked up in one semester... but I really did pick it up at my first meeting. I was a lot younger then... I had long hair and I was wearing gumboots- turned down at the top they were....

I remember those gumboots well- they were mostly what I was looking at... I always had trouble making eye contact. I was bought up in a home where alcohol was king. Drinking was supposed to be a party thing, a fun thing; but in my childish eyes I thought they were drinking poison! I had good reason to believe this- because of what happened when they drank. It was pretty mean and nasty.

The big thing I had had to contend with through life was this. I went through a stage where I was neglected badly. I lost trust in myself and my world. As a kid I would crawl out of a wet bed in the morning, and climb into that same wet bed at night. It was slippery downhill slope.

I was a hard working kid.  Always thought I was lazy. I guess I was told I was being lazy and I took it to heart. I started working part time harvesting carrots when i was 12. When I was 16 I bought my mum a rotary clothes line because she didn't have one. I was an A student.

They say you can take the kid out of the home- but you can't take the home out of the kid. When I left home I went to the city and I crashed badly. I had cousins there. There dad was an alkie too. In the city they were much more vulnerable, I think. A number of members of the family ended up resorting to prostitution.

Where I thought the streets might be lined with gold I only found grime and despair. I went to my first Alanon meeting in the city at about age 20. I found it hard to relate. I went there because I wanted to help alcoholics... but it was a start.

Fast forward to now. I still have an entry level job- literally with a pick and shovel... but I have a rich varied life... I am still married, and we have three kids and 6 grand-kids. I live back in my home town... that took some doing but I am glad I came here. Over time I have been able to face my demons, one by one...

...this format is a it different than face to face. The words hang in the air a bit. This talk is just what we do as a Step 1. It helps me to bring up to date where I am at today... you are welcome to ask me stuff if you want...

best of luck with your project

arohanui 

DavidG.

hi everyone, i am very sorry for the confusion and upset my original post caused, i chose to do my art project on something that is close to home and i wanted to open people's eyes on the matter because i feel that it is quite often overlooked. my art project bases on the idea of how the effects on family life can be much more painful than any physical effects, i wanted to base it on the experience of my family but loosely because of the reaction it may have caused with this difficult subject. many thanks for any replies as i welcome criticism, i dont want to offend anyone and would hope that people understand i am not studying people. if you would like more detail about what kind of replies i was expecting, it was not anything personal as i didnt make myself very clear and i am very sorry about that, i was merely hoping people might post about how they feel. apologies and thanks to all once again and wish you all the best of luck, i shall remain on here for the purpose of helping my family through this and thankyou all for telling me how you felt about the original post, i need to be much more clear in future.

The effects of alcoholism

It is everywhere. We will all have been exposed to it at some point in our lives.
Knowingly or not.
Now that I know, I know better.
The effects are dark, dim and feelings of hopelessness.
Al anon is the light that gives us hope to a better way of not suffering from the effects of the disease.

If I painted a picture of how I felt when I let myself suffer the effects of the disease, you would see a small un kept child curled up in a corner. Its dark, the child is crying, scared, confused and alone.

There are many stories. I hope that in sharing your story in your art project you will have also helped to share the hopes and promises that Al anon offers.

How have you felt when exposed to a friend or family member that acted inappropriately because they were intoxicated.

Please find a face to face meeting. Attend at least 6 to see if Al anon is for you.

Keep coming back

In support
M

Welcome art student You will find many stories on this forum. I'd also suggest you read any of the alanon literature which is full of stories of experience, hope, and strength. Best of luck with your project.