alcoholic mother

[blushingm]

my not so dm is an alcoholic. This time last year she was in intensive care with liver and kidney damage. She was lucky to progress and made it home after 6 weeks saying she'd never drink again etc

She sent a facebook message to my sister at 3am this morning (they haven'ty spoken for more tha 11 years) says 'contact your mother she loves you' I messaged my brother who lives on the same town and he said she'd been off the wagon for about 2 months and had shouted at my nephew and upset him so they hadn't had much to do with her. She's been asking my brother for money and apparently she can't get her pension as she works for MI6 and it's all top secret. This morning she texted my brother saying she needs help and if she doesn't get it she will take things into her own hands.

I've called her gp practice and spoke to a dr who is going to visit her later - i don't think she will answer the door to him. She won't even admit she's drinking again but we know her so well we just know - plus the fact she's been talking gibberish etc etc

if she won't answer the door to the dr what else can we do?
if she lets him in but won't accept treatment is there anything we can do?
Can she be sectioned as she's a risk to herself?
We're at our wits end - I haven't seen her appart from a brief visit to the icu for more than 10 years as I can't cope with her and the way she treated us growing up

i just need some advice about what we can do / what could happen etc

Thanks

[Throughgrittedteeth]

I can't offer much advice but wanted to give you a bump. I'm sure someone will be along shortly to help.

[NanaNina]

Sadly I don't think there is anything you can do for your mom. You mention "the way you were treated when you were growing up" and I can only assume your mother was not treated well when she was a child, as in the main (though there are exceptions and I'm sure you're one of them) we parent our children in the way we were parented.

There is only one person who can stop your mother drinking and that is your mother and I'm sure you know that - she may well be depressed as alcohol is a depressent isn't it. When you say she is "talking gibberish" do you mean in a way that she is drunk or mentally ill as in being out of touch with reality. If it is the latter then she definitely needs medical help, but if the former, then there is nothing that can be done.

Yes you might find her dead one day from alcohol poisoning or a mixture of alcohol and drugs (not heroin or anything like that) but even pain killers mixed with alcohol can be fatal. Are you in touch with her on a regular basis. If so you could support her but you can't stop her drinking. I think it's easy to be "on the wagon" for 2 months but how long realistically is that going to last. What age is your mother btw.

Sorry I can't be more helpful

[amillionyears]

If she has been off the wagon for 2 months,then well done to her for that.I imagine that wasnt easy to achieve.
Alchololics Anonymous may be able to support you and give you ideas,either through a meeting or online.
If your mum wont see the GP,you could see the GP yourself about her,and talk things through with the GP.

[blushingm]

thanks for your replies - I don't live in the same town as my mum so I can't go and see her dr. He tried yesterday but she wouldn't come to the door. My bro got a text off her last night talking about her plants and shouting at the tv so we know she's still alive. When I say gibberish I mean completely out of touch with reality - working for MI6??? She was fired from her last job 10 years ago for being drunk and hasn't worked since!

I mean she's been drinking pretty much everyday for at least the last 2 months.............................my db can't think of anything that would have pushed her to drink agin

[amillionyears]

Can your brother go and speak to the GP?
Or you ring him up and speak to him?
The fact that your mum spoke to your sister for the first time in 11 years seems to me to speak volumes.Your mum knows at some level that she needs help.

[NanaNina]

It sounds to me like this is more than just "drunken ramblings" - it sounds like she has a psychotic illness (as in being out of touch with reality) shouting at the TV is a classic sympton, as is not trusting anything electrical and the M16 thing definitely means she is in a delusional state I think.

She is most likely hearing voices and sometimes psychotic people shout back at the voices in their head.

I think from what you have said she desperately needs medical help asap and I know the GP visited but got no reply. Does your brother have a key to her house - if so he needs to be there when the GP visits. The trouble is people who are psychotic don't actually realise they are mentally ill, they think it is everyone else who is out of step. She may well have to sectioned under the Mental Health Act - has she been hospitalised before? I know you don't live in the same town, but could you not travel to see her, and arrange as I think this is a crisis. People who are mentally ill often "self-medicate" with drink and this just exacerbates the mental health problem.