The material presented
here is not Al-Anon Conference Approved Literature. It is a method
to exchange
information, ideas, feelings, problems and solutions on a personal
level.
My daughter is 26, is an alcoholic for some years now. She got clean and was staying with friends in a recovery house. She was walking the walk and talking the talk. I was looking forward to meeting up with her, (as I'd done before), at an AA meeting where she was to receive acknowledgement for staying sober for 5 months. I went to the meeting, beaming with pride, and she didn't show. Turns out she bolted that night and went back to shack up with her boy friend who is also an alcoholic and who is being put up in his own apartment, paid for by his enabling parents, and free to drink as much as he likes. My heart has been ripped out of my chest. Sorry to dump, but what better place, right?
Welcome Holdemfoldem I am so sorry to read of this sad ourtcome but will note that since alcoholism is a chronic, progressive fatal, disease that can be arrested but never cured, what happend with your daughter is not unusual for this disease.
Living with this disaese we need a supportive community so that we can learn new tools to live by and receive support as we try to implement them. Alanon is that program. Face to face meetings are held in most communities and the hot line nmber is in the whie pages.
It is here I learned that I did not cause the disease, cannot control it and cannot cure it. The best I can do is to learn to focus on myself in a healthy fashion and continue to live life on life's terms, one day at a time.
Keep coming back here as well-- You are not alone.
I am glad you are here where we all can relate to the hurt that comes with loving A's. I am glad you are here and keep coming back! Sending you love and support!
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Sending you love and support on your journey always! BreakingFree
Al-Anon/Alateen Family Group Headquarters, Inc. 800-344-2666
" Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional."
"Serenity is when your body and mind are in the same place."
Holdemfoldem - so happy you found us and glad you are here! So sorry for the circumstances that caused you to 'seek us' out - it's unfortunate and I can relate to your pain! I have 2 sons and they are both As and so is my husband.
The absolute best experience I can share with you is this journey will help you realize that you can be OK and even happy in spite of what she/others do. I have found a new freedom in how I live my life and spend my days/time since working this program and the steps.
Keep coming back and know that you are not alone. We're all just a post away!
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Practice the PAUSE...Pause before judging. Pause before assuming. Pause before accusing. Pause whenever you are about to react harshly and you will avoid doing and saying things you will later regret. ~~~~ Lori Deschene
Thanks for welcomes and well wishing all. I was sorry to hear of so much pain and will pray for you! I live in Las Vegas and haven't been able to find local al-anon meetings but have attended a few nar-anon meetings. Any help finding some local al-anon meetings would be appreciated. Also, any tips/leads on fiinding a sponsor would be nice. Fwiw though, I feel this forum will be very thereudic. I pray I can be a healing balm to each of you as well.
Aloha Holdemfoldem and there is recovery in that nick...whether you holdem or foldem its all about choice ...yours. The first part of the first step is "we admitted we were powerless..." The admission becomes a habitual choice for me as I no longer want the consequence of the last part of step one...."and our life had become unmanageable". Your daughter drunk or sober makes up her own choices/mind and the consequences are hers. She doesn't make her choices with the idea in mind "Will mom like this one or not". I'm glad you have found us...MIP is wide family just as the world wide fellowship of Al-Anon is. You can find help here and also the opportunity to help others with what you learn from us. I was raised in the disease. I am a carrier of it and the best thing that ever happened to me was finding this program. In support (((((hugs)))))
Howdy Holdem, I really feel for you. The female alcoholic has a much easier time finding a meal ticket. If she wasn't hooking up with a nonfunctional drunk who is also being enabled, it would be someone else that would enable her. I'm only saying this because I hope it may help you detach some from how maddening the situation is with the boyfriend and his parents. If your daughter was going to relapse anyhow (which apparently she was), she would have found another enabler and will continue to until she really desperately wants this and wants it for the long term. I'm so sorry you've been put through this. There is always hope. Of course hope for you is under your own control. Hope for her...there is always hope there too. I didn't get sober til I was 36.
Bless you all for support and recommendations re meetings. So good to know that God is bigger than all pain! John 16:33: "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."