Thanks for the post.
I'll reply by saying briefly, because I'll do a full post later about the "parents", that I'm a 36 yr old single. I thought for the longest that addiction had been part of the family for 25 years, but hanging out here, learning, and putting "2 plus 2" together, I see that the addictions were more like 30 years at least. The funny thing is that the first tramatic incident that I remebered in my childhood life happened when I was 6!
It's like a lightbulb went off! I literally thought to myself, "Wow, they've actually been addicts for 30 years. How old was I 30 years ago? Sheesh, I was SIX!!!!".
Ding dong, bells ringing in my head!
Since I'm on it, I'll kill two birds, and share what happened. When I was SIX YEARS OLD FOLKS, my parents decided to leave me alone for hours with my baby brothers, NO BABYSITTERS, while they went to the nightclub on base (as my father was in the Air Force at the time).
My brothers were all of maybe 9-10 months old and the other one barely 2 years old. There was no furniture in the house either, because we had just moved in. They laid a blanket on the floor, told me to stay with my brothers, and left. I just kept wondering when they would come back. Time went on and on. My baby brother was crying and messed his diaper. My middle brother threw up. I distinctly remember wanting to change the pamper, but I didn't see any pampers. I remember thinking I should do something about the "sick", but I just sat there with those crying, sick babies not knowing what to do, and wondering where the heck were my parents.
Shortly after this incident, I remember I was shipped off to my grandmother's, where I lived for almost 2 years. I never knew why till later. (!)
But can you, the reader, see SOOOOOO MANY ACOA character patterns that I was being set up for?
Anyway, I see a lot of people talking about "no contact". I'll really be needing support in that area, as my parents are on permanent "no contact". I simply choose not to have them in my lives anymore. They checked out of my life a long time ago anyway; I felt the need to make it official for myself, due to their continued utter lack of respect, and regard for me.
I look forward to sharing in the "love", and support, thanks for reading :ghug