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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To be fed up with my DM and her drinking?

7 replies

ManicUnicorn · 06/01/2018 18:50

After yet another Christmas filled with her getting so sloshed and making a tit of herself Ive had enough. She even got pissed and fell asleep at the NYE party she hosted herself in her own home. She just can't drink responsibly and seems incapable of pacing herself, and unfortunately as her DD I feel responsible for her. I think she thinks that people think she's funny when she drinks, but I see the looks on their faces and honestly I know otherwise.

In her mind people who either don't drink or who drink sensiby are boring. She's even joked about how I must have been swapped at birth because I don't drink. In fact I like the odd drink as much as the next person but I know my limits and don't drink to excess.

If she doesn't fall asleep when pissed she's loud and lairy and has already caused one huge family row by spouting off when pissed.

I just don't know what to do. I'm tired of her spoiling everything everywhere we go. She's fallen asleep at Funerals, fallen off a chair at. Wedding, fallen over at Christenings, no event is fucking sacred to her.

OP posts:
waffilyversati1e · 06/01/2018 20:43

This sounds as though it is a serious issue for her. YANBU to be sick of it. I think you need to sit down with her and tell her how much her behaviour is impacting - if you give her an ultimatum ie you or the booze then you need to follow through with it.

Sorry you are having to parent her.

ManicUnicorn · 06/01/2018 22:22

She's very defensive of her drinking and jumps down anyone's throat when they so much as make a joke about it. Confronting her is sadly not an option, it will just be turned back on me.

OP posts:
Maelstrop · 06/01/2018 22:52

Honestly, I wouldn’t bother tackling her on this. She won’t change if she’s been doing this for years. I tried with mine and got the cold treatment and she will never change. Pointless, sorry.

Eltonjohnssyrup · 06/01/2018 23:19

Tell her exactly what you told us. That she embarrasses you and humiliates herself.

Then tell her until she deals with her drinking she is out of your life.

Will your family support you with this? Could a few of you confront her and make plain this has to stop? Like an intervention? Perhaps make it clear that she will be excluded from all family events until she deals with her problem?

Tumbleweeds24 · 06/01/2018 23:39

I'm in the same position with my mother so I feel your pain, it's almost as though I'm reading my own post. It's horrible, embarrassing, tacky and infuriating.

She shows herself up. She shows me up, the family, everybody.

I've tried all I can think of. I've begged, pleaded, cried and shouted to no avail. Dragged her to support groups which she refuses to engage in. Dragged her to the doctors which was pointless as she doesn't want help. Everything.

Like yours, mine is also super defensive when the topic of drink is mentioned and she won't come close to admitting it's a problem. Her favourite lines when confronted are:

"Ohhh I'm alright"
"I just like a little drink I'm not hurting anybody"
"I know my own body"

See sadly like most addicts it's all about them with no thought as to how their behaviour impacts the family and those around them.

Unfortunately her closest relatives are enablers who just turn the other cheek and let her carry on regardless, nobody wants to back me in cutting her off as a shock factor because they don't want to deal with her lashing out. I'm that sick of it im seriously considering not allowing her anywhere near my son who's due in two weeks, although even the perceived threat of that happening isn't enough to make her see sense. What's worse is that she's a lovely, helpful and kind person when not on drink but we rarely see that side of her these days.

It's hard to admit but some people are beyond help, if only for the simple reason that they don't actually want to change. Like my mum, if yours is happy to carry on as she is then nothing in the world will make her stop. I know that's a harsh reality to face. There really is next to nothing we can do about them other than put up our own barriers and protect ourselves from being totally overwhelmed by it all.

We can't control their actions all we can do is control how we deal with it, in my case I believe it will boil down to me having to cut contact completely because I just can't deal with the way her behaviour makes me feel.

I do however believe if I had more backing from the family who would be prepared to intervene and say enough is enough, were having nothing to do with you until you stop, things may change - but I'm not that lucky. Unfortunately so long as she's got a few close relatives who are fine with who she's become, my opinion doesn't matter all that much.

I so hope that things change for you OP, I really do. I wouldn't wish a drunk mother on anybody.

In the mean time, don't let her selfishness consume you. You must focus on yourself. You are fighting a losing battle pouring all of your energy and emotion into trying to help somebody who doesn't want help x

ManicUnicorn · 07/01/2018 12:16

I hear you Tumbleweed tacky and embarassing are the words I'd also use. Ive noticed that when she drinks, for example a G&T, everyone else fills it with lots of tonic, stirs it and makes it last because it's meant to be a long drink she puts a dash of tonic in a double and pretty much knocks it back. My DF has had to cut back on his drinking recently (although he never knocked back as much as her) because of medication he's on and all I hear from her is how boring he is now. She should be supporting him, but won't.

She was actually excluded from a family event a few years ago because the person who organised it didn't want it to turn into a 'piss up' and when she found out she hit the roof. You'd think that would be a wake up call, but no.

OP posts:
Scabbersley · 07/01/2018 12:18

Honestly, I wouldn’t bother tackling her on this. She won’t change if she’s been doing this for years. I tried with mine and got the cold treatment and she will never change. Pointless, sorry.

I agree with this. The only thing that helped me was moving away and making myself stop feeling responsible for her. You are her child not her carer.

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