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