Addiction

Addiction is a disease that affects not only the addict but the family as well. Some people do not realize they are not the only ones who suffer. My dad was an alcoholic. He would go out drinking almost every night. It was hard to love him the way I should have loved a dad. He was hardly ever there to raise us kids.

When he tucked us in at night, he said “Mom and I love you very much. Even though we fight, we still care.” I would think about how much I hate him and want him to go away. He would get very depressed when he drank. I don’t have any memories of my dad except the fact that I would go with him to my grandpa’s bar.

I was sitting in English class, when my principle came in and said my brother and sister are here to pick me up. No one said why I was getting picked up early. It was a very quiet car ride home. When my little sister and I went in the house, the song “Daddy’s Hands” was playing. My mom was sitting on the couch with the pastor. My mom and pastor then told me that my dad had passed away. My mom later told me that he had been drinking the night he commit suicide. I was only 9 years old.

It is very similar to the core issues. The core issues I have seen are:

·         Drinking became part of the daily routine

·         Emotional behavior unstable

·         Psychological absence

·         Shame or blame with use

·         Drinking becomes central organizing feature of daily life

·         Skew toward short term adaption to achieve comfort

·         Couples become demoralized

I have seen the Intoxication dances play out. I have seen the chronically intoxicated is irresponsible and under functioning.