Aa
Any hope?
Hi, my father has been drinking since we was 12 and now he is 49. He has gotten to the point where he drinks straight the 7 dollar gin and vodka. If he goes without for a few hours then he gets the shakes and gets very angry. He is in complete denial about it and I am worried about his health. Would even be possible for him to quit now? Also, what are the main possible health risks that he is facing? If you have any thoughts or advice. I would love to hear, Thanks.
Your father needs hospitalization to withdraw from the alcohol. You probably need to explore INTERVENTION resources in your community, with the support of other family members and friends. I would contact my local alcoholism council to find resources. Also, you need support through Al-Anon meetings, which is for family members. Your local Alcoholics Anonymous Intergroup will direct you to all of these resources. Call them today!!! Try to substitute beer for the hard gin and vodka. He may not like it, but he'll drink it. Keep food in him, too. You're father is probably going to die within a short while if you do not begin taking these steps. I lost 3 family members this way. It's no joke. After he initially gets sober, get him into a treatment center for at least a month. Some are free, such as Salvation Army and others. Once he is sober and trying AA meetings, it will be up to him to stay sober. He will have to want it.
COMMUNITY LEADER
Great comment ducky.....glad ur here posting......pls stay w/this forum....u've got some fab wisdom 2 offer others!
It's always possible for someone to achieve sobriety. But it cannot be forced on them. A person will only get there if they desperately want it. Addiction is a horrible disease and it takes a strong person with a large desire to give it up and stay with it.
The shakes and mood swings are probably the start of withdrawal. When you become addicted to something your body tries to use it in place of other hormones or chemicals and then gets confused when it's no longer in your system. Everyone seems to handle withdrawal differently but most agree it's a painful process. Nausea, headaches, vomiting, body pains can only be the start of it. If your father decides to quit he will need a good support network and possibly even a nurse or doctor to handle these withdrawals. Some people can do it without in patient care at a rehab, some can't. The Thomas recipe is highly recommended by many addicts for someone about to start a withdrawal process as it forces nutrients into your body-especially if they're trying it at home. HOWEVER- this process can only begin when he wants it to.
The theoretical health problems he's facing are pretty severe. To give it to you straight- He probably already has some liver damage. This might be scaring on his liver or fatty liver tissue. Permanent liver damage is a real possibility though, especially if he doesn't quit. His kidneys might also be very worn through. I'd also imagine that that straight alcohol will cause damage to the lining in his esophagus and stomach and possibly entire digestive tract. He might be at higher risk for certain cancers. Basically, not stopping could cost him his life. And there is bound to be some damage from the years of mistreating a body.
For my sister it took her being told that her baby was going to be taken away by CPS for her to think about quitting (Meth). It wasn't easy for her, hell it's still not easy some days and it's been almost a decade since she became sober. She told me that when S*** hits the fan though, seeing her babies happy and healthy is all it takes though. I don't know what it will take for your father to find his desire, but he has to have a real slap in the face to make him see just how much harm he is doing to himself and those around him. I cannot stress enough that addiction is a serious disease and even if he does know the health problems and kind of wants to quit- when you're on that ledge there is a lot of anxiety associated with ending something that has helped you deal with stress, trauma, and depression. The further you push yourself away from it the more your body tells you you need it. Also, a lot of times addiction is only the symptoms of a larger problem. I definitely know for my sister it was.
It's not impossible for ANYONE to become sober, so try to keep hope. But it will likely take a lot for him to get that desire to quit. And no one can quit without that desire to do so.
There are many places you can go- Online/over the phone/ and even in person support for children and family of alcoholics. I really recommend you look into these. It's a horrible thing to see someone you love go through this and sometimes you need support too.
The shakes and mood swings are probably the start of withdrawal. When you become addicted to something your body tries to use it in place of other hormones or chemicals and then gets confused when it's no longer in your system. Everyone seems to handle withdrawal differently but most agree it's a painful process. Nausea, headaches, vomiting, body pains can only be the start of it. If your father decides to quit he will need a good support network and possibly even a nurse or doctor to handle these withdrawals. Some people can do it without in patient care at a rehab, some can't. The Thomas recipe is highly recommended by many addicts for someone about to start a withdrawal process as it forces nutrients into your body-especially if they're trying it at home. HOWEVER- this process can only begin when he wants it to.
The theoretical health problems he's facing are pretty severe. To give it to you straight- He probably already has some liver damage. This might be scaring on his liver or fatty liver tissue. Permanent liver damage is a real possibility though, especially if he doesn't quit. His kidneys might also be very worn through. I'd also imagine that that straight alcohol will cause damage to the lining in his esophagus and stomach and possibly entire digestive tract. He might be at higher risk for certain cancers. Basically, not stopping could cost him his life. And there is bound to be some damage from the years of mistreating a body.
For my sister it took her being told that her baby was going to be taken away by CPS for her to think about quitting (Meth). It wasn't easy for her, hell it's still not easy some days and it's been almost a decade since she became sober. She told me that when S*** hits the fan though, seeing her babies happy and healthy is all it takes though. I don't know what it will take for your father to find his desire, but he has to have a real slap in the face to make him see just how much harm he is doing to himself and those around him. I cannot stress enough that addiction is a serious disease and even if he does know the health problems and kind of wants to quit- when you're on that ledge there is a lot of anxiety associated with ending something that has helped you deal with stress, trauma, and depression. The further you push yourself away from it the more your body tells you you need it. Also, a lot of times addiction is only the symptoms of a larger problem. I definitely know for my sister it was.
It's not impossible for ANYONE to become sober, so try to keep hope. But it will likely take a lot for him to get that desire to quit. And no one can quit without that desire to do so.
There are many places you can go- Online/over the phone/ and even in person support for children and family of alcoholics. I really recommend you look into these. It's a horrible thing to see someone you love go through this and sometimes you need support too.
Have an Answer?
You are reading content posted in the Alcoholism Community
Is treating glaucoma with marijuana all hype, or can hemp actually help?
If you think marijuana has no ill effects on your health, this article from Missouri Medicine may make you think again.
Julia Aharonov, DO, reveals the quickest way to beat drug withdrawal.
Tricks to help you quit for good.
A list of national and international resources and hotlines to help connect you to needed health and medical services.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
