Oh god, I gasped inside a bit reading he drank alcohol sanitizer. How desperate must someone be to do that? How deep in their addiction must they be? I very doubt that when the man was 5 and all his school mates wanted to be drs and pilots and vets, he thought 'I want to be an addict drinking sanitiser'. Yes theres personal responsibility. Any 12 step recovery programme emphasises that. Yiu can still empathise with the man - or at least I can. For the situation hes in, for the state his MH must be in, and for the depth of his despair. I very much doubt that the cleaners 10min encounter was more traumatic than his sorry existence.
Horrified that some people think alcoholics or addicts are somehow a different class of people , and they 'wont have anything to do with them?' How the fuck would you know? I'm a recovering opiate addict. No one apart from my managers, my friends and my NA people. My colleagues dont know. My service users dont know.
Yiure right hes not just an alcoholic. Hes also not just a thief or vandalize. Hes a human being in his own right. Hes a song, a brother, a uncle, a father, a friend, a patient and a service user .... alcoholism and addiction doesn't define someone. And let's stop with all the pious holier than thou bullshit. Addiction happens to anyone . It isnt just for 'those people's. I thought that before. I envisioned addicts as homeless junkies. Until I developed a taste for painkillers and became one myself. And for the record, I've always been a 'functional ' addict . That doesn't mean I'm any better or worse than the next person. Were all capable of being addicts. Whether its through abuse, depression, mental illness, relationship breakdown, bereavement, job loss ... theres no big shield for any of us.
The stigma around addiction is so dangerous and it prevented me from getting help for a long time. I was brought up with an attitude that addicts bring it on themselves. That addicts use illegal drugs or drink til they pass out. That they're always chaotic and homeless and just down and out. That wasnt me. I worked. I bought my drugs offline, and I wore make up. I was so ashamed to be like 'them' and that shame prevented me from getting help.
Oh and aren't you brilliant for getting through horrific things without using? Well done, that's all on you and your morals of course. If only I'd had better morals I wouldnt have started drinking age 11 to deal with horrendous emotional abuse. Silly me! Everyones circumstances are different and no one knows this mans. Even if we did it wouldnt matter a jot. Because were all individuals and deal work things differently.
Absolutely and completely agree with the personal responsibility btw. No one can change an addict, it's on them to do that. Also agree that families an friends of addicts need to have boundaries and not enable them. Just because I firmly believe in personal responsibility doesn't mean I cant emphasise
I also hate the view of 'hell just do it again.' He might. Or this may be his rock bottom. He may go to treatment. He may go to a 12 step. He may have the desire to stop now. And the desire to stop is the most important of all.
It's never to late until they're dead. I personally know someone who used for 30 years went inside 36 times, went through 3 treatment centres, was homeless, battered his internal organs and was kept alive on a drip, come into recovery and stay clean
I know someone who flat lined twice in an ambulance and after 7 treatment centres and multiple attempts, this was the wake up call he needed
I know someone who endured traumatic abuse and exploitation for drugs, who had kids removed from.her care, get clean and now celebrates 15yrs while working with working girls to help them.
Recovery and sobriety happens
I think for many on this thread it's easy to sit on your high horse and spout about morals and superiority. Lets hope if you ever need.help that people are kind to you