Abuse

» citywoman1106 - poll categories

Seems to me it's nearly impossible to choose ONE category that addictions affect. Everything is affected: no matter if the addict is still "functioning" by society's standards, the family atmosphere is always charged with tension--when will he/she fall off the very tiny tightrope? Mental health of all members is abused--and sets in motion the probability of mental illness in the future. Tension lowers the abilities of the immune system, affecting physical health--to say nothing of the possibility of the occasional left hook if things have progressed to physical abuse on the part of the addict. Family relationships are fraught by the unknown--will she, won't he come in high/abusive/compulsive [look, I bought us a new car--and I can't pay the mortgage--but the car is so pretty!]. Finances...well, they're in toilet. Can't keep a job--don't want a job--who needs a job--I just NEED alcohol, pills, drugs...

I know I'm kinda pulverizing my point. As a kid, I had to be very careful to watch my parents, take the mental temperature, who was angry, who was merely out of control. The cost was my childhood and later a descent into my own mental illness, my own realization I had a choice as to whether I keep on drinking and not remember how I got home or not. I was lucky to be able to stop drinking. The depression just is. Fortunately there are pills for me now. But there is always that abyss that sometimes looks remarkably appealing.

-- posted by citywoman1106

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» hawkgazer - how alcoholism effects us

In response to poll categories posted by citywoman1106:

I agree, it really is very hard to choose. I noticed that most people chose "family/relationships" in the poll, which makes sense, since the family is also effected by all of those other factors as well. I always find it interesting to hear what it is that brings each person to the point where they say "enough is enough" and decide to get sober, and how that the effects of drinking and drugging in a person's life change over time, wether they are still active in the substance abuse or not. Great post - thanks so much for sharing your experiences!

-- posted by hawkgazer

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