by: Debbie Wicker

Dear Olivia,

The devastation you’re experiencing must be so painful. As a counselor, I work with many mother’s who want so desperately to help their son’s to end an addiction.

Let’s start with what your son needs to do. First, he needs to start attending AA meetings DAILY and begin to earnestly work the 12 steps, get sponsor and stop drinking or using any other mind altering drug.

He also needs to go to a doctor so that he can detox SAFELY from alcohol. Alcohol detox can be deadly. (I had a patient whose son died in a hotel room trying to detox from alcohol on his own) He MUST have medical supervision to detox safely.

He must also be assessed by a treatment center, and should go into at least 30 days of inpatient and 90 days of outpatient treatment to help him to avoid relapse.

I understand that you know what he needs but I just wanted to be clear so we are both on the same page with what he needs to do. The problem you have is how to get him to do these things?

I recommend you begin to attend Al-anon meetings and working the 12 steps yourself. This process will help you to better understand what you’re dealing with and with a good sponsor you can develop a good intervention plan to help your son.

Addiction to alcohol is a fatal disease and it sounds like your son is severely addicted. So time is of the essence for you to plan and do an intervention but you will need a lot of support to plan it correctly.

You can also go to a good local treatment center(people at Al-anon can help you to make a good choice) and work with a professional interventionist to get him into treatment. So, there is a lot you can do but the first step is to start attending Al-anon meetings today and go to at least two meetings a week to get the information you need to help your son.

God is listening to you, but each of us make our own choices and you have to help your son learn how to make better choices. Alcohol ATTACKS the brain and stops your son becoming the man he should be. Alcohol has control of your son and it will take all of your and his strength and determination to get rid of the grip that it has on him.

May God bless you as you begin this difficult journey,

Debbie

by: Anonymous

I too am going through a very difficult time. My daughter is also addicted and it’s heartbreaking Things just keep getting worse and worse. I feel helpless and alone. I don’t know what to do but I am searching for solutions. You are not alone.