I think family members go through so many emotions when they watch the person they love destroy themselves. Its kind of like watching the one you love driving down the highway at 200klms an hour, they are swerving all over the road and not knowing if they are going to hit the next tree or not. The only way I can explain it.
Whilst I am a drinker, I still function daily but watching my sister kill herself with alcohol is absolutely the hardest thing I have ever had to do. Going through all the ups and downs, the rehabs, the hospitals, stopping her from trying to hurt her kids, watching her body go down hill and especially her life.
I tried to stay focussed on having the faith that she would somehow come back to earth, I was always there supporting her (and by the way this took alot of research and being in here) to do it.
She too thought no one cared about her, didnt support her, help her but in her kind of mental capabilities over the years - she focussed on all her negatives and couldnt just see that we just wanted her better. Thats all family want really and when it gets to the point of despair, helplessness for us, we too go in hiding. Its not that we dont want to be there supporting, some of us just dont know how to do it anymore.
Luvya Jo