[Caliope77]

Hi,

Just to introduce myself: I'm a 46 ACOA woman. Tried the ACOA meetings in my 20s, but didn't really feel like I fit in. I guess I'm more comfortable online, so I was looking for a good online community. I realized long ago that I need to seriously work on events in my childhood.

The short story: Father, brother, two uncles (on mother and father's sides) all died of alcohol-related illnesses. Other relatives were alcoholics, but died of other diseases. I've been told by my own doctor that I need to seriously curtail my drinking. I'm not really sure what I'm looking for here. I guess I'm just looking for people who shared similar experiences, and learn how they are continuing to cope.

Thanks!

[avlady]

They're many people on this website that deal with alcohol as their illness, and i think they are very commendable for coming here to get help. The road to recovery can come from here too and along with AA or other programs out there. I pray you will succeed!!!

[Caliope77]

Originally Posted by avlady

They're many people on this website that deal with alcohol as their illness, and i think they are very commendable for coming here to get help. The road to recovery can come from here too and along with AA or other programs out there. I pray you will succeed!!!

Thanks AVLady! I'm looking forward to connecting to people.

[Leed]

Hello Caliope and welcome! I'm glad you found us. This is a great site and I'm sure you'll get some great replies.

Both my parents were alcoholics, and my grandparents were too. And lo and behold, I became one too! Go figure. I have 3 sisters, and i'm the only one that became a drunk. lol (I'm female by the way)

I'd always SWORE I'd never end up like my mother, but what did I do? I ended up just like my mother. But with one difference -- when my sisters and I were growing up, we were treated like the furniture, except we never got dusted. There was NO attention whatsoever. Nothing. In fact, if we ran away, I'm not sure if they would have noticed. When I had my 2 kids, I lavished attention on them, and made SURE they knew I loved them!!! I tell them every day even now, and they're both grown.

Brought up as I was, I harbored a lot of resentment against my parents and it followed me well into adulthood. I got along with them, but there was always something there in the back of my mind that was festering. Plus the fact that they PUSHED me into a marriage i didn't want (can you believe that?) when I was 18 yrs old. Even in the U.S. this can happen, and I wasn't even pregnant! LOL A few years into the marriage, I had a nervous breakdown, and ended up in a mental hospital (I signed myself in) and there I learned alot about my childhood.

I learned that my parents gave me what THEY were given --so they couldn't give me something they didn't have! I learned that alcoholism is an inherited disease and that if I didn't quit, I'd undoubtedly pass it on (if I hadn't already) to my own kids. I learned that you can't be a doormat if you're not laying down (re: husband). And I learned that emotional/mental abuse can be worse than physical abuse because it goes deeper and takes longer to heal.

Anyway -- again Welcome and i hope we hear more from you! Please take care and if you feel like sharing, please do! God bless. Hugs, Lee