What does dying from alcoholism look like?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am on this page because my brother, 35 years old can not stay sober. He passes out, wakes up, drinks, passes out. He quit his job, does not listen to anyone and has put my poor sick mom through so much. He’s been drinking for about 2 years and refuses help. He passed out in the snow at night and almost lost his foot. We don’t know what to do, I can’t lose him. My mom cries day and night, she doesn’t sleep at night because she thinks if she sleeps, he will leave the house and might pass out somewhere in the cold again and die. I wish the government would force these addicts into treatments because if we leave it up to them, their brains don’t function anymore and they will kill themselves. I am so lost and frustrated and need help.

I am sorry to hear this. Both you and your mother may need to go to Al-Anon. First, you need to talk about this with others, so this is either therapy or Al-Anon. You cannot control what he does, but you can change how to interact with him. This is hard emotional work. Sometimes folks have to hit rock bottom. If your brother is living with your mom, she is actually stalling that day. Some loved ones have thrown the alcoholic out of the house. Figuring your mother won't do that, she does need to keep her sanity and get to Al-Anon.

You can also seek out professional help for an intervention and see if he will go to rehab. They feel such guilt and shame and you can't force them, but sometimes the jolt of an intervention may be all you can try.

GL PP.

And to the person who posted on Nov 26 about drinking on weekends in that amount" You are also an alcoholic. You are just doing it in binge drinking form. Sid Cesar had this form of alcoholism. It allows you to deny that you have a problem. Please consider getting help.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am on this page because my brother, 35 years old can not stay sober. He passes out, wakes up, drinks, passes out. He quit his job, does not listen to anyone and has put my poor sick mom through so much. He’s been drinking for about 2 years and refuses help. He passed out in the snow at night and almost lost his foot. We don’t know what to do, I can’t lose him. My mom cries day and night, she doesn’t sleep at night because she thinks if she sleeps, he will leave the house and might pass out somewhere in the cold again and die. I wish the government would force these addicts into treatments because if we leave it up to them, their brains don’t function anymore and they will kill themselves. I am so lost and frustrated and need help.

I am sorry to hear this. Both you and your mother may need to go to Al-Anon. First, you need to talk about this with others, so this is either therapy or Al-Anon. You cannot control what he does, but you can change how to interact with him. This is hard emotional work. Sometimes folks have to hit rock bottom. If your brother is living with your mom, she is actually stalling that day. Some loved ones have thrown the alcoholic out of the house. Figuring your mother won't do that, she does need to keep her sanity and get to Al-Anon.

You can also seek out professional help for an intervention and see if he will go to rehab. They feel such guilt and shame and you can't force them, but sometimes the jolt of an intervention may be all you can try.

GL PP.


And to the person who posted on Nov 26 about drinking on weekends in that amount" You are also an alcoholic. You are just doing it in binge drinking form. Sid Cesar had this form of alcoholism. It allows you to deny that you have a problem. Please consider getting help.

+1 to all you said. Also, psychiatrists and other physicians now have some very helpful meds to help control the possible underlying anxiety, depression, and obsessive tendecies that contribute to excessive drinking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I drink only on the weekends but I’ll drink three or four pints of vodka Friday through Sunday.

That’s one way it looks.

[Anonymous]

I have a 36 year old friend who has been in and out of the hospital several times for alcohol-related issues for the last 5 years --she's been an alcoholic since her 20s.

The sad thing is her job for the last couple years is in the liquor/wine business.

She won't change--she's that person who gets out of the hospital after a ten-day stay and heads straight to the bar.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I do not feel one bit sorry for alcoholics. It does them an injustice to say it is a disease. That is big fat lie. Its one BIG FAT CHOICE. Alcoholics are selfish people and do not think about anyone but themselves and how they can get their next drink. They damage relationships. families, and are miserable people, who blame everything else and everyone else for their poor choices and decisions. They love to drink and that is all they love. They believe their own lies and are the most selfish people I have ever met. Every alcoholic I have seen wants sympathy, blames, lies, manufactures chaos, and they HAVE a long list of other behavioral personality issues. They enjoy living in misery and self pity they thrive on. Most need to get over themselves. They get in their own way. Destroyers. I wont apologize for this statement most people wont tell it like it is. I have lived it and seen what it does. Enablers need to move on. Let them drink themselves to death. I dont pity them one bit. Its stupid.

Thank you for telling it like it is. I'm living this right now. It's not a pretty sight. He's been in and out of detox so many times, I've lost count. He was sober for a little over a year, but he's been drinking for a little over a month now. He is a binge drinker - just waiting for the binge to end. He's legally blind, so I guess that makes me the enabler. If I don't go get it for him, he gets real belligerant and mean. Don't judge me till you've been in my shoes. Thanks for listening.

[Anonymous]

Been there. Quit buying for him. When he gets mean, leave to go to an Al-Anon meeting. Repeat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would like to add that NOT all liver problems are alcohol related. Some people do not realize this and jump to conclusions. Terrible, but true. I guess some people are just bored or worse.

True and same with lung cancer. Never smokers get lung cancer and never drinkers get liver diseases and cancer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I do not feel one bit sorry for alcoholics. It does them an injustice to say it is a disease. That is big fat lie. Its one BIG FAT CHOICE. Alcoholics are selfish people and do not think about anyone but themselves and how they can get their next drink. They damage relationships. families, and are miserable people, who blame everything else and everyone else for their poor choices and decisions. They love to drink and that is all they love. They believe their own lies and are the most selfish people I have ever met. Every alcoholic I have seen wants sympathy, blames, lies, manufactures chaos, and they HAVE a long list of other behavioral personality issues. They enjoy living in misery and self pity they thrive on. Most need to get over themselves. They get in their own way. Destroyers. I wont apologize for this statement most people wont tell it like it is. I have lived it and seen what it does. Enablers need to move on. Let them drink themselves to death. I dont pity them one bit. Its stupid.

Daughter of a semi-functional alcoholic here and agree 100%. I never drank until in my mid-20s because of what I saw. Then I got drawn into it at work functions because it is everywhere in my profession. It started getting out of control quickly, and I am so glad I was able to recognize that and stop. I steer clear of it now and have for years. My advice to everyone is don’t start. It’s glamorized. It is as dangerous as heroin.

[Anonymous]

My mom just died from alcoholism last month. I'm numb, pissed, and sad. The saddest thing is, I mourned her more while she was alive. Truly a horrible way to die!

[Anonymous]

Members of my husband's extended family are fairly functional alcoholics. They begin drinking each night, I mean drinking- several glasses or bottles of wine, shots of liquor, glasses of beer, and fairly continuously on the weekend. It results in bad behavior, accusations toward others, and little rememberance from the night before. Blackouts. This has been going on for decades...yes decades. Yet, from what I can tell, there have been no overt health issues. No DUIs even . They even drink while on prescription meds that are contraindicated with alcohol! Diabetes pills for one, xanax and other stuff for the other, etc. Still nothing. They still work regular hours, etc...One is in their 50s , the other older.
Meanwhile, I barely drink anything and have trouble getting through a day if I sleep badly.
I do not understand.

[Anonymous]

I'm 32. Female. I've been drinking a mickey of straight vodka everyday if not more for 15 years... I've done rehab and aa and therapy.. I just cant stop. I started puking up blood yesterday and I cant even move. It's worse every month of every year...I know my body is done... just was reading all the comments and felt bad for everyone... it is absolutely a disease, and I hope the loved ones understand....we just cant stop

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm 32. Female. I've been drinking a mickey of straight vodka everyday if not more for 15 years... I've done rehab and aa and therapy.. I just cant stop. I started puking up blood yesterday and I cant even move. It's worse every month of every year...I know my body is done... just was reading all the comments and felt bad for everyone... it is absolutely a disease, and I hope the loved ones understand....we just cant stop

Bullshit. What is wrong with you is medical and the damage you have done to your body is mostly reversible. Go back to treatment. You deserve to live.

[Anonymous]

My best friend/love of my life died of alcoholism. He bled from his anus and vomited blood in the last year, and that is what happened one last time when he died.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm 32. Female. I've been drinking a mickey of straight vodka everyday if not more for 15 years... I've done rehab and aa and therapy.. I just cant stop. I started puking up blood yesterday and I cant even move. It's worse every month of every year...I know my body is done... just was reading all the comments and felt bad for everyone... it is absolutely a disease, and I hope the loved ones understand....we just cant stop

I know you may not be reading this, my friend, but have you tried medical interventions, like naltrexone? It's incredibly effective. AA and therapy can't solve a medical problem for most people; the success rate is abysmally low. The success rates for medication-assisted treatment are so, so much higher.

I would also consider trying psychedelic therapy. It's been shown to be tremendously effective at treating long-term substance abuse.

[Anonymous]

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