jennieinchicago's Journal

Intervention
Babs and I were watching Intervention last night. We watched this episode about this guy who was around 50 who was an alcoholic. His drink of choice was Peppermint Schnapps (I know, wtf right?). He had bottles of it in every room, couldn't go to a family function where his sister allowed no liquor, made his daughter feel unsafe driving with him and also would call her mother to come pick her up early from visits with him, not to mention the physical things it was doing to him. Made me relate a lot. I just know that no intervention would ever stop the 53 year old man that I know, and that while I wish I could be there and just deal with the fact that is who he is, I can't watch someone destroy himself. I feel selfish, but I've also been called some really nasty things whenever I've tried to help. So I just stay away.
It also made me think when does drinking go from being ok to being a problem? Is it when you drink by yourself? Is it when you drink because you're upset about something and just need to be drunk to deal with it? Is it when you can't go out with friends for a night without blacking out or throwing up? Is it when you just can't face the day (or night) without a drink?
It's like having a parent with some horrific genetic disease. You are constantly monitoring yourself to make sure you aren't showing symptoms. And looking at other people you care about and seeing if they are showing symptoms too.
It's on my mind too much I think. It's just a path I wouldn't want to see anyone else go down.

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